François Bayrou launches a YouTube channel: these leading politicians who have also invested in other media

The Prime Minister launched this channel to explain the government's choices for the 2026 budget. This is not the first time that political figures, both in office and not, have used this type of platform to reach other audiences.

François Bayrou wants to defend his 2026 budget plan to the French people. The Prime Minister has published a series of explanatory videos on YouTube and launched his podcast. Late this afternoon, François Bayrou will be available to listen to on "FB Direct" on the internet and on listening platforms.

A prime minister in office creating his own podcast is unprecedented, but he's not the only politician to have invested in this area. In November, former President François Hollande became the first French politician to launch his own podcast, titled "A President Should Listen to This."

Once a month, the MP hosts experts and discusses a wide variety of topics, including geopolitics, ecology, and parenting. The podcast now has seven episodes. Across the Atlantic, a former president has also taken the stage. In 2021, Barack Obama shared his thoughts on American society with singer Bruce Springsteen in a friendly conversation.

Politicians are also increasingly appearing on podcasts. Entrepreneur Matthieu Stefani hosted Emmanuel Macron in June 2024 on "Génération Do It Yourself," which boasts 500,000 monthly listeners. A two-hour interview in the middle of the legislative campaign, the president notably justified his decision to dissolve the National Assembly: "I'll tell you, this choice was an obvious one. Did it make me happy? The answer is no."

A few months later, Nicolas Sarkozy was invited to "Legends" , one of the most listened to podcasts in France. "I think that in the hubbub of everyday life, too much talking kills the speech" , Nicolas Sarkozy declared during this show. A speech that the former president will nevertheless unfold for an hour and a half in this episode broadcast on YouTube and podcast platforms.

Politicians are inviting themselves onto podcasts to reach a younger audience than traditional media. The average age of podcast listeners is 45, compared to, for example, 63 for France 2's news programs. Appearing on a podcast is also an opportunity to speak directly to a community. In 2019, Anne Hidalgo participated in the feminist podcast "La Poudre." And in "Génération Do It Yourself," Emmanuel Macron addresses entrepreneurs using their codes and vocabulary.

It's also a space where politicians can express themselves without being contradicted by their interviewers. Host Guillaume Pley said it himself when he hosted Nicolas Sarkozy: "We try to conduct interviews where there are no traps, but rather goodwill." During the interview, the podcaster revisits the highlights of the former head of state's career but is careful not to ask him about the legal proceedings against him.