Nicolas Bastuck: Journalism as Destiny

In a new episode of The Cheat Code podcast, we hosted Nicolas Bastuck, editor-in-chief at Le Point.
A journalist with an unconventional career path, marked by detours, doubts, and an unwavering passion for his profession.

A Calling Stronger Than Anything

What's striking about Nicolas Bastuck's career path is his ability to always return to the same place. Literary studies, exploring management, a degree in criminal law: he searched for his path, tried to distance himself from journalism, before realizing it was inevitable.

He got his start in radio, hosting shows on Energy in the 80s, at a time when radio held a central place in the media landscape. From on-air to editorial, his journey illustrates a simple belief: some passions aren't chosen, they simply assert themselves.

A Genuine Admiration for Lawyers

Another recurring theme in this episode is his relationship with lawyers. Nicolas Bastuck doesn't hide his fascination with this profession, which he describes as populated by personalities as diverse as they are engaging. For him, lawyers play a fundamental role in democracy, by guaranteeing the right to a fair trial and defending those who need it most.

He even admits to having considered this path at one point in his life. But it is ultimately as a journalist that he best expresses this admiration, by covering and reporting on the judicial world with particular attention.

Justice and Penal Populism: A Fragile Balance

The episode takes a more engaged turn when he addresses the ongoing reforms in criminal law. Nicolas Bastuck is concerned to see centuries of legal tradition challenged under the pressure of management logic or political imperatives.

His message is clear: justice cannot be instrumentalized. Reforming criminal law requires time, consultation with lawyers and victims' associations, and a rejection of penal populism. Defending the rights of the defense and ensuring respect for victims are not contradictory goals; they are complementary.

Through his testimony, a stance emerges: that of a committed journalist, convinced that his role is also to defend the values that underpin our rule of law.