A recent CNews commentary by French journalist and TV host Pascal Praud provoked outrage as he suggested a correlation between immigration and France’s bed bug epidemic. According to international media, the statement–denounced by politicians–has been extensively lambasted as racist and incorrect.
Praud covered the bed bug epidemic during his live show “L’heure des pros” on CNews, last Friday as a growing concern in France, with claims of infestations on trains, the Paris Metro, movie theaters, and even Charles de Gaulle Airport. He questioned the source of the bed bug problem, asking, “Do we know why there are more bedbugs today?” Is it related to hygiene? “I’ll ask all the questions.”
The interviewer initially addressed the question to his guest, Nicolas Roux de Bézieux, director of Badbugs.fr, a site specializing in domestic pests, who answered surprisedly “Absolutely not.”
However, Praud’s comments took a controversial turn when he suggested a link between the bed bug problem and immigration, saying, “There is a lot of immigration right now. Are these people who do not have the same hygiene conditions as those who are in France bringing them because they are on the streets. . .. maybe because they do not have access to all the services like others? Is it related to that?”
Several prominent political figures expressed their outrage over Praud’s statement. Aurélien Saintoul, a member of La France Insoumise (LFI) announced that he would be filing a complaint with the media regulator, Arcom, calling the comments “racist” and labeling the commentary “evident racism.”
‘’Pascal Praud ignores that there is absolutely no link between the proliferation of bedbugs and hygiene. He prefers to make a racist shortcut,” stated Mathilde Panot, president of the LFI.
Bérangère Couillard, the Minister entrusted with combating discrimination, also called on the Delegation for the Fight against Racism, Antisemitism and LGBT Hatred to involve Arcom in the matter.
“What a shame,” said Renaissance deputies’ spokesperson Christopher Weissberg. “Pascal Praud’s remarks are sordid and show the racism that we thought had vanished.” Previously, the far-right press promoted lies that Jews brought diseases; now, it is immigration,” he continued.
In a new development of this event, the journalist came on the air to respond to the criticism, showing that the affair was already closed from his perspective.
Praud retorted, “Just for asking a question I was insulted… Should a journalist justify the questions he asks?’’ He elaborated by adding, “Racism is not an opinion… If racism takes place, a complaint should be filed, but nothing has been initiated so far because there is no evidence…,” and ‘’Finally, the dogs bark but the caravan goes on.”
The event occurs as France struggles to find an effective solution for bed bugs ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Not long ago, France was combating rats that were proliferating throughout the country, serving as a symbol of filthy conditions.