Alain Duhamel

Alain Maurice Jacques Duhamel, born on May 31, 1940, is a distinguished French journalist and political analyst, renowned for his insightful commentary on national politics. His career began at the prestigious newspaper Le Monde in 1963, marking the start of a significant influence in French media. Duhamel became a familiar voice on Europe 1 starting in 1974 and has also contributed to Libération since 1992 and Les Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace.

Duhamel is well-known for his role in political broadcasting, having hosted various influential television programs. He launched his career in this arena with À armes égales in 1970, followed by Cartes sur table on Antenne 2 in 1978, and later L'Heure de vérité, culminating in the program 100 minutes pour convaincre in 2002, along with Question Ouverte. Notably, during the pivotal 1995 French presidential election, he co-hosted a televised debate between candidates Jacques Chirac and Lionel Jospin alongside journalist Guillaume Durand.

In 1999, he began collaborating with RTL, enhancing his reach in French media. Duhamel’s book, Les Prétendants 2007, released in 2006, outlined potential candidates for the presidential election, controversially omitting Ségolène Royal until later editions. His political views garnered attention, especially when he publicly declared his support for François Bayrou in a 2006 lecture at Sciences Po, leading to a temporary suspension from his broadcasting roles. In 2009, he published La Marche Consultaire, drawing parallels between Nicolas Sarkozy and Napoleon, further solidifying his reputation as a keen political observer.