Bouches-du-Rhône suspends Actoral festival funding after writer's controversial comments
The Bouches-du-Rhône department halted a subsidy vote for the Actoral festival in Marseille following criticism of Louisa Yousfi’s remarks about “whites.”
After journalist and decolonial activist Louisa Yousfi made remarks referring to “whites” that were condemned by far-right groups, the Bouches-du-Rhône department suspended its vote on a subsidy for Marseille’s Actoral festival. Martine Vassal, the department’s president, said she requested the immediate withdrawal of the deliberation, citing the “unacceptable” nature of the statements. RN deputy Jean-Philippe Tanguy announced a complaint to the prosecutor, and the RN-UDR group hailed the move as a strong symbolic victory.
The department has formally asked the Actoral association to clarify the event’s content and its response to the controversy before any funding is approved. Publisher La fabrique éditions defended Yousfi, describing her as an anti-racist literary voice. Actoral, founded 25 years ago, traditionally receives support from the city of Marseille and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region.
Why it matters
It shows how local authorities can intervene in cultural funding when public statements spark political controversy.
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