Said interested by France TV and then by Arte

It is therefore the last-minute candidate, supported by the public authorities, who has been appointed Chairman of the AFP to replace Pierre Louette, leaving for France Telecom. The Board of Directors which was held yesterday morning elected it with 12 votes to 15, or exactly the required majority. Three candidates had been finally presented to the Council: Louis Dreyfus, former Director General of "Liberation" and the "Nouvel Observateur"; Philippe Micouleau, former boss of "L'agefi"; and Emmanuel Hoog, President of the INA. The first two had been retained at the end of a process of screening, while Emmanuel Hoog, whose name was travelling for a month, has been asked by the public authorities and finally presented his candidacy Tuesday evening. Each candidate was heard about a half hour by the administrators. Then, an informal vote has taken place, to present formally that a single candidate to the Board of Directors. Emmanuel Hoog was then elected in the first round, while it was possible to go up to three towers. There has been no debate. Before even the outcome of the election, the society of journalists issued a press release, regretting that the procedure was "conducted as a set of fools internal." "It will stay us the bitter feeling that the interests of the third world news agency were not at the heart of the selection process," said - t - it. As the evicted candidate, AFP journalists have the feeling that games were made in advance. As long as Emmanuel Hoog, deemed to be supported by the Elysee, have announced as early as Wednesday his departure to some officers of the INA, before even the election. In addition, the fact that he was soon to formalize his candidacy has cast doubt on his real motivation. Said interested by France TV and then by Arte.

A good profile

"He explained we have not wanted to formalize his candidacy because he was the INA full negotiating his contract of objectives and means with the State, and the renegotiation of the collective agreement," says an administrator. Internally, it was agreed however that it has the profile of a good candidate to lead AFP. Forty-seven years enarque, Emmanuel Hoog conducted most of his career in the cultural field. Son of museum curators, senior official at the Ministry of Culture, has been leader of theatres (national theatre of the Odéon Theatre in Europe, Milan's Piccolo Teatro), cultural adviser to Laurent Fabius to the Presidency of the National Assembly and then Florence Parly budget. President of INA since 2001, it has modernized the Organization, including accompanying the digital shift began in 1999 and ensuring sound financial management. However, in the eyes of the stewards, it leaves a contrasting balance from a social point of view. "The negotiation on the collective agreement, which he left in abeyance, was very committed," many of them say. A strike was even scheduled yesterday morning to the INA, before the official announcement of his departure. In all, there is no announced cases yesterday policy arrested for AFP. "He told us that the strategy should be fixed quickly, and that it should come from the Interior of the AFP." He feels able to get an idea of here in six weeks. "On the status, has stated, in essence, that it would be pragmatic and he read with attention the reports on the subject", indicates an administrator. In particular, it should rely on the report of the Committee of experts chaired by Henri Pigeat, released the week Frédéric Mitterrand last: the Minister had indicated that it should constitute the roadmap for the new CEO. This report should be made public Monday.