Philippe Val

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Philippe Val (born September 14, 1952 in Paris) is a French journalist who is the editor and director of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical political weekly newspaper. Every week Philippe Val writes the editorial for Charlie Hebdo.

Philippe Val first became known as a member of the comedy team of Font et Val with Patrick Font in the 70's and 80's. Val is also a musician (a singer and pianist). He performed in the years around 2000 together with Emmanuel Binet on bass. His last album was called simply Philippe Val.

In addition, Philippe Val works as a writer and reporter on the radio program Charivari on France Inter and is regularly a guest on the program Le premier pouvoir (The First Power), a critique of the media on the radio station France Culture, as well as on I-Télé.

He recently chose to publish the Danish caricatures of Mohamed. He denounces the danger of the islamist ideology, a "new totalitarism", and he won the lawsuit the French islamic organizations started against him. He supports Israel and asserts in his Traité de savoir-survivre par temps obscurs that the Jewish people has offered a lot to mankind.

As a sincere leftist, he encourages the Parti Socialiste to change its ways, following the example of the New Labour in Great Britain.