Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez asserted on Monday that no political intervention had taken place in the renewal of Russian journalist Xenia Fedorova's residency permit in 2024. Speaking on France Inter radio, he refuted accusations circulating in several media outlets in recent days regarding possible government involvement in the granting of this ten-year residency permit.
According to Laurent Nuñez, the procedure followed falls under the general law applicable to foreigners legally residing in France for several years. The minister noted that certain residence permits are automatically renewed when the administrative conditions are met, and that the administration then has only limited room for maneuver, under penalty of exposing itself to legal proceedings.
A personality at the heart of media debates
Xenia Fedorova, former director of the Russian channel RT France, which has been banned from broadcasting in the European Union since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has become a regular commentator on several media outlets belonging to Vincent Bolloré's group, including CNews, Europe 1, and JDNews. Her pro-Kremlin stances have earned her considerable criticism within the political class.
Last week, government spokesperson Maud Bregeon denounced the remarks as "very serious," while Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called her a "propagandist" close to the Russian government. These statements have reignited questions about her presence in the French media and the conditions of her long-term residence in France.
Laurent Nuñez, however, pointed out that a residence permit does not protect its holder from potential prosecution or a challenge to their status in the event of a threat to public order or the fundamental interests of the nation. For their part, several executives from the Canal+ and Lagardère groups defended Xénia Fedorova's presence in their media outlets in the name of freedom of expression, arguing that public debate should be open to diverse, even controversial, opinions.
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