QUESTIONABLE SOURCE
A questionable source exhibits one or more of the following: extreme bias, consistent promotion of propaganda/conspiracies, poor or no sourcing to credible information, a complete lack of transparency, and/or is fake news. Fake News is the deliberate attempt to publish hoaxes and/or disinformation for profit or influence (Learn More). Sources listed in the Questionable Category may be very untrustworthy and should be fact-checked on a per-article basis. Please note sources on this list are not considered fake news unless specifically written in the reasoning section for that source. See all Questionable sources.
- Overall, we rate Fdesouche as Far-Right Biased due to its consistent nationalist and anti-immigration framing. We rate its reporting as Questionable and Mixed in factuality due to misleading article selection, lack of balance, and a history of spreading false or misleading claims.
Detailed Report
Questionable Reasoning: Propaganda, Poor Sources, Conspiracy, False Claims, Lack of Transparency
Bias Rating: FAR RIGHT (8.0)
Factual Reporting: MIXED (6.4)
Country: France
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rank: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: High Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: LOW CREDIBILITY
History
Fdesouche is a French news aggregator that focuses on topics related to immigration, national identity, and crime. The site was founded in 2005 and originally functioned as a blog under the name François Desouche, which translates to Native Frenchman. Fdesouche has a significant following among far-right and nationalist audiences in France. It often republishes news articles focusing on perceived societal changes due to immigration. The platform does not produce original reporting but curates content from other media sources, often framing stories through an anti-immigration and nationalist perspective.
Read our profile on France’s Media and Government.
Funded by / Ownership
Fdesouche is believed to be associated with Pierre Sautarel, although its exact ownership structure remains unclear. The website operates primarily through advertising revenue and reader donations.
Analysis / Bias
Fdesouche is often called the “Breitbart of France,” a term used to describe its far-right, nationalist, and anti-immigration editorial stance, similar to Breitbart News in the United States. Fdesouche consistently promotes nationalist, anti-immigration, and anti-Islam perspectives. The site frequently amplifies content that portrays immigrants and minority groups in a negative light, often emphasizing crime, social unrest, and cultural tensions linked to immigration. Articles are selected and headlined in ways that align with right-wing populist and identitarian narratives, often without providing broader statistical context or alternative perspectives.
For example, the article Lydia Mugambe, a Ugandan magistrate serving as a judge at the United Nations and a doctoral student at Oxford, held her housekeeper as a slave; upon her arrest, she cited her “immunity”, focuses on a high-profile crime involving an African judge, reinforcing a narrative of corruption and criminality among immigrants.
Similarly, the article “He is unmanageable, In Bourges (18), Mustafa B. was sentenced for the 43rd time after having robbed and threatened a shopkeeper with a bladed weapon” highlights repeated criminal offenses by an immigrant but lacks broader crime statistics or comparative data, making it an example of cherry-picking stories that reinforce negative stereotypes about immigrants.
Additionally, the website frames political events in ways that criticize progressive policies. It often portrays immigration as a societal crisis while downplaying counterarguments. In general, Fdesouche reinforce a one-sided narrative that fuels anti-immigration sentiments and nationalist rhetoric.
Failed Fact Checks
Overall, we rate Fdesouche as Far-Right Biased due to its consistent nationalist and anti-immigration framing. We rate its reporting as Questionable and Mixed in factuality due to misleading article selection, lack of balance, and a history of spreading false or misleading claims. (M. Huitsing 03/16/2025)
Source: https://www.fdesouche.com/
Last Updated on March 16, 2025 by Media Bias Fact Check
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