Petition seeking to take French channel CNews off air reaches 500000 signatures

A petition calling for right-wing television channel CNews to be taken off the air surpassed half a million signatures on November 2, 2026, France 24 and U.S. News & World Report reported. The campaign gained traction after a 39-year-old French man shot and killed a Black French national of Congolese origin and wounded seven others. [1][2]

According to France 24, the suspect is believed to be an avid viewer of CNews. Critics allege that the channel's far-right coverage contributed to the racist attack. CNews is owned by Vincent Bolloré and is often compared to the United States network Fox News. [1][2]

The public backlash comes six months before France holds its next presidential election. Far-right candidate Marine Le Pen is currently leading in the polls, France 24 reported. [1]

Right-wing populism is a political ideology that combines right-wing politics with populist rhetoric, frequently aiming to defend national culture and identity against perceived outside threats. Petitions historically developed as a foundational democratic tool to seek redress from governments. [4][5]