Advertising for Gabriel Zucman’s book refused in the Paris metro because of its “political character”

The advertising agency which manages billboards on the Paris metro and French stations refused to promote Gabriel Zucman’s book, in the name of its “demands for political neutrality”.

The railway advertising agency Mediatransports refused to display the advertising campaign for Gabriel Zucman’s new book, franceinfo learned on Wednesday November 5, confirming information from Challenges. The company justifies this refusal by the character “policy” of the work. The same reason was given in October 2024, at the time of the publication of Jordan Bardella’s book, which did not benefit from any advertising.

The economist Gabriel Zucman released in bookstores, on October 24, Billionaires Don’t Pay Income Tax and We’re Going to End Itin which he proposes in particular to tax the ultra-rich by 2%, a tax now called the Zucman tax.

In order to ensure the promotion of this work, Editions du Seuil contacted the Mediatransports agency, which refused this request at the end of October, in view of the “political character” of the work, confirms with franceinfo the communication from the advertising agency. “We are subject to requirements of political and religious neutrality”explains Alexandra Lafay, director of communications, ensuring that it is a “non-subject” and that the refusal was accepted by the publishing house.

Also added is the “context” policy in which this book comes out, according to Mediatransports. Deputies are currently studying the finance and Social Security financing bills in the National Assembly, two budgetary texts under close surveillance. The Zucman tax being one of the amendments under study, the publicity of the economist’s work could have influenced the outcome of a legislative process, continues Médiatransports. The amendment was rejected by the deputies on October 31.

The advertising agency therefore remains on the same line as that adopted at the end of 2024 to refuse the poster campaign for Jordan Bardella’s book. Éditions Fayard then took legal action against Mediatransports, which was declared “faulty” on April 9, for “culpable breach of contract” advertising distribution. A condemnation on the form that the refusal took, but not on the substance, recalls Alexandra Lafay. Contacted, the Seuil editions have, to date, not responded.