The podcast from Paris about French current affairs, culture, and politics. A new episode every other Thursday afternoon. Your go-to place for all the news and analysis surrounding the 2027 French presidential election. Hosted by Sara Bertilsson and Stefan de Vries.
Valjean for President? Glucksmann, Mélenchon and Les Misérables
Raphaël Glucksmann isn’t even a Socialist Party member. Last Sunday, he won its primary anyway, with two-thirds of the vote, leaving the party’s own leader on 14 per cent. Stefan de Vries asks what is left of the French Socialists, why the “united left” never got to hold its own vote, and who really gains from Glucksmann’s win: Mélenchon, or François Hollande waiting in the wings.
Plus: a new Les Misérables hits French cinemas, with Vincent Lindon as Jean Valjean. Why does France keep filming the same old stories? And in a campaign where everyone wants a hero, who gets to claim Valjean, the left or the right?
Host: Stefan de Vries
Contact: sofrench.show/contact
Original music by Laurent Blot.
1 Oct 2026
Bardella Under Fire, Macron’s Comeback Dream and Perfect Fries
France is simmering. In this episode, Sara and Stefan unpack the high-school protests spreading across the country: overcrowded classrooms, missing teachers, tense confrontations with police, and what young people are demanding for their future.
They also discuss Mediapart’s reporting on alleged past antisemitic messages by Jordan Bardella — and what the political fallout could mean for the Rassemblement national ahead of 2027. Plus: is Emmanuel Macron already keeping the door open for a 2032 comeback?
And, because France never stays serious for too long: 70,000 people, one world championship, and the eternal question — are the best fries French or Belgian? Bon appétit !
So French! on YouTube en Instagram (https://www.youtube.com/@SoFrenchShow) — look for @SoFrenchShow
World Radio Paris (https://worldradioparis.org)
World's Best Fries are made by Logan Poirson (https://labaraquepoirson.fr)
17 Sept 2026
Presidential Politics, Radio Silence and Céline Dion Fever
What happens when two minutes of political commentary send France’s biggest radio station silent?
Sara Bertilsson and Stefan de Vries unpack the mounting pressure on French media—and what it reveals about power, politics and free speech in France.
Their guest is Hind Ziane, geopolitical analyst, TV commentator and founder and CEO of Paris-based political strategy and CivicTech company Génération Politique. Together, they look at the emerging presidential campaign, France’s international standing and why the election is already shaping difficult budget negotiations.
Plus: Céline Dion is back in Paris, sending the city into a full-blown frenzy.
Further reading: Le Monde’s live coverage of the 2027 presidential campaign (https://www.lemonde.fr/politique/live/2026/09/14/en-direct-presidentielle-2027-suivez-les-derniers-developpements-de-la-campagne_6770586_823448.html)
Guest: Hind Ziane (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hind-ziane-242059aa/?locale=en)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.8 / 5
9 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
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