Macron, Trump, and Limited France: Secrets of Express from 2013-2022.

In France, there have been terrorist attacks for decades. Charlie Hebdo, Montrouge, Hyper Cacher, November 13... Then Nice, Manianville, and Samuel Paty. This is also the decade of Brexit, Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron's arrival at the Élysée Palace, and the "yellow vests." In 2015, "L'Express" leaves the Belgian company "Roularta" and joins the "Altice" group. Four years later, media entrepreneur Alain Weil buys the magazine and gives it new momentum while staying true to the spirit of its founders. The magazine leaves the "Altice" headquarters and is reimagined in a new format. It also revises all its platforms: website, podcasts, audio, video. A new era and a new rise begin. "L'Express" comes to life again.

It was an unexpected turn of events.

Called forth by the madness of the unrestrained Arnaud Montebourg, who was dismissed for provocative statements, this may seem insignificant. We are at the end of August 2014, and "L'Express" immediately focuses on one case. Emmanuel Macron, unknown to the general public, appointed as Minister of Economy, draws attention. How is it, financial friend, as François Hollande would not say? A banker-businessman who irritates the left more than flatters them, "Macron," which has already become a dirty word in the Socialist Party? A young man without political experience, who has never met a voter and found himself in a responsible position? Undoubtedly, he has his flaws, raising many questions, including this one, which still gives headaches: what is on his mind? What does he really think deep inside? The choice to dedicate a cover to him highlights the atmosphere of the moment - the search for new leaders in a political life that has become a dull plain - a bold decision, especially with such a headline. We often make mistakes; this time, let’s be glad that this cover turned out to be prophetic. The "bomb" indeed exploded: two years later, Emmanuel Macron leaves the post of Minister of Economy to prepare for his Elysee heist.

“L'Express” has never sought to take a moral stance.

In the fight against the far right. In 2002, when Jean-Marie Le Pen made it to the second round of the elections, the magazine, for the first time in its history, took a position in favor of Jacques Chirac. But this was a matter of principle, as the victory of the National Front at that time was unthinkable. Twelve years later, the situation changed: because Marine Le Pen, unlike her father, wants to come to power; because the number of her supporters is constantly growing; because the offer of alternative politics is weakening, and institutional exhaustion is increasing. The publication of such a cover in 2014 is a sign, it shows that change has become possible, it signifies the gradual end of the so-called "glass ceiling." The presidential elections of 2017 and 2022 will confirm that Marine Le Pen's victory is possible. What can be said about the next elections scheduled for 2027? The Republican front is cracking, the model of Western democracies, including European ones, is collapsing. And "L'Express" strives to remain true not to a line, and even less to a camp, but to a political identity that has been its own from the very beginning.

January 7, 2015, terrorist attacks at "Charlie Hebdo"

The events shook France, especially the press community. On that day at "L'Express," all staff were gathered for a general meeting following the purchase of the magazine by Patrick Drahi, the owner of the "Altice" group. Mobile phones began to vibrate, and the news started to spread: there was an attack at the "Charlie Hebdo" office, and there were casualties. Shock reigned in the editorial office. Many personally knew the victims: Charb, Tignous, Bernard Maris... One of the slain artists, Philippe Honoré, regularly collaborated with "Lire," and the daughter of Georges Wolinski, Elsa, works at "Point de Vue," both newspapers that are part of the group and located in the same building on Châteaudun Street. After the shock, it was time to act: a newspaper needed to be made to show that the editorial team was not afraid.

A few months later, another shock:

Some are still in the editing room on Friday evening when they learn about the attacks at the Stade de France, in Bataclan, and at bars and restaurants. We are on November 13, 2015. The entire weekend, the team works on a special 24-page issue that goes on sale on Sunday, in Berlin format and printed at a different printing house. The weekly magazine also moves its publication from Wednesday to Monday with a special issue titled "How to Defeat ISIS." "The blood has not yet dried on the streets of Paris on Friday evening, and France has already understood: it has not become a victim of yet another terrorist attack, not even the worst in its history, but an assault of unprecedented strength. The constant threat has turned into a full-scale war. The danger is no longer incidental; it is permanent," one can read in the editorial. In June 2016, "L'Express" expresses concern on its cover about "new terrorist threats" and points to intelligence issues. On July 14 of the same year, France will mourn again for the attack in Nice. In every act of terrorism, "L'Express" continues to uphold the values of secular France. As Anne Rosencher writes after the murder of Samuel Paty, a teacher killed on October 16, 2020, for showing cartoons of Muhammad in class: "The publication of blasphemous cartoons—regarding Islam, Judaism, or Christianity—is not an offense to the believers. Rather, it is the exercise of the freedom we have granted ourselves in France, a result of our unique history and our secular values. Therefore, fourteen years after "L'Express," under the leadership of Denis Jeambar, published the Danish cartoons to counter the waves of hatred and intimidation they provoked here and elsewhere, we have decided to publish them again. Fear is here. Fear is everywhere. But we cannot allow it to win."

After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001

Before the invasion of Ukraine in the winter of 2022, Donald Trump's election on November 8, 2016, is considered one of the most significant events of the early 21st century. The day after the election—known in Europe due to the time difference—newsrooms are stunned by the unexpected victory of the reality TV star and New York real estate mogul (only one journalist from "L'Express" predicted it). "Donald Trump is causing terrible panic in France," states the following issue. With the headline "Trump and Us" and an eye-catching photo, the magazine quickly focuses on the impending presidency and its potential consequences for dialogue between the U.S. and Europe, especially considering that the isolationist candidate, who proclaims "America First!", deems NATO "obsolete." Avoiding the mistake that hindered the profession from anticipating Trump's "tsunami"—a collective blind spot that also affects the political world—journalists from "L'Express" strive over the next four years to understand the depth of America and the voters of both parties, Democrats and Republicans. This attention will continue as "L'Express" looks ahead to the upcoming presidential elections in 2024.

Winter of 2018. A winter of discontent.

The anger of the "yellow vests" is building up at roundabouts. This unusual and elusive movement acts like a Rorschach test on a national scale. Everyone projects into it what they see, what worries them, what benefits them, or simply what they have understood through their information channels... What should the line of "L'Express" be? This