PARIS—French journalists Françoise Fressoz from Le Monde newspaper and Marie-Eve Malouines from France-Info radio station, both refused to receive the Legion of Honor, the highest decoration in France, on Jan. 5.
In speaking to AFP they expressed their surprise to have be elected for the prestigious decoration without any prior communication from the government, as should have been done according to the protocol.
Using the formal excuse of not being qualified enough, Fressoz and Malouines say they do not deem themselves appropriate to receive the Legion. Some argue that being close to left-wing politics, the two would not accept an award from the conservative President, Nicolas Sarkozy.
