ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Patrice Spinosi warns theater censorship threatens rule of law in Le Monde op-ed

opinion-review · 2026-07-03

In a tribune published in Le Monde on July 3, 2026, Patrice Spinosi, president of the Fondation Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe and a lawyer at the Conseil d'État, argues that restrictions on theatrical freedom represent a direct threat to the rule of law. His op-ed comes on the eve of the Festival d'Avignon and follows the cancellation of a play by a municipality led by the Rassemblement National (RN). Spinosi contends that in a democracy, freedom of creation is one of the first battlegrounds of illiberal offensives.

Key facts

  • Patrice Spinosi is president of the Fondation Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe
  • Spinosi is a lawyer at the Conseil d'État
  • The op-ed was published in Le Monde on July 3, 2026
  • The tribune was published on the eve of the Festival d'Avignon
  • A play was cancelled by a municipality led by the Rassemblement National
  • Spinosi argues restrictions on theatrical freedom threaten the rule of law
  • Spinosi states freedom of creation is a key battleground of illiberal offensives

Entities

Artists

  • Patrice Spinosi

Institutions

  • Fondation Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe
  • Conseil d'État
  • Le Monde
  • Festival d'Avignon
  • Rassemblement National

Locations

  • Avignon
  • France

Sources