Why Sarah Knafo Invited Streamer Sardoche to Her Party's Summer University

Reconquête MEP Sarah Knafo announced on July 28 via X that streamer Andréas Honnet, known online as Sardoche, will join a round table on “freedom of expression threatened on the eve of the presidential election” at the party's summer university in early September. Also invited are Brivael Le Pogam, an entrepreneur creating AI-generated avatars, and social-media specialist Fabrice Epelboin – all prominent on X, the platform that has become Reconquête’s main digital battleground.

Sardoche is a divisive figure. In January 2026 he called La France Insoumise supporters “vermine LFiste” (LFI vermin), a tweet that led organisers of the multigaming ZLAN competition to drop him. He later told BFM Tech he wanted to inject “pluralism” into a streaming world dominated by “far-left activists” and regretted that his arrogance had hurt the cause. Older posts, deleted but documented, include sexist insults and a 2018 relationship with a girl then aged almost 16 while he was 24, which he described as “consented” and “a mistake” but that he felt was then “decontextualised” by critics.

Knafo defended the invitation: “It’s a round table with influencers who defend freedom of expression and are at the forefront of opposing liberticidal laws.” On Sardoche’s past statements and the minor relationship, she declined to comment. The streamer himself did not respond to requests for reaction.

The summer university arrives at a pivotal moment for Knafo, who scored 10% in a snap Paris municipal campaign and will release a book titled “Le casse du siècle” with Fayard, owned by conservative billionaire Vincent Bolloré. A video promoting the book attacks François Hollande and Emmanuel Macron, and a nationwide bookshop tour is reinforcing speculation she is preparing a 2027 presidential bid, while Reconquête founder Éric Zemmour has stayed largely out of the spotlight.

Behind the Invitation: Sardoche’s Controversial Past and the Free-Speech Gambit

Sardoche’s baggage: a calculated risk

Knafo is gambling that any fallout from Sardoche’s past will be offset by the signal the invitation sends to a young, online right-wing audience. By aligning with a figure who claims to be silenced by “far-left” activists, she frames the entire debate around censorship – a central theme for the identitarian right. The party’s refusal to engage with questions about his historical missteps suggests a deliberate strategy to portray critics as hostile to free speech.

Free speech as a political weapon

The round table is not simply an academic exercise. With the presidential election approaching, Reconquête is using the event to position itself as the only force fighting what it calls “liberticidal” laws. The choice of personalities – a streamer with a history of weaponised language, a tech entrepreneur, and a social-media analyst – signals a campaign that will rely heavily on digital influencers to bypass traditional media filters. Knafo herself enjoys strong traction on X, and the party’s continued pivot toward the platform underscores its attempt to control its own narrative.

Knafo’s 2027 ambitions and Zemmour’s shadow

The summer university doubles as a vehicle for Knafo’s personal profile. Her book launch and tour, the high-profile invitation, and her recent electoral result all point to a figure building a base independent of Zemmour. While she publicly insists she wants Zemmour to run, the accumulation of moves and his near-invisibility in recent weeks suggest the party may soon face an internal reckoning over its 2027 candidate. Bringing Sardoche into the fold could either energise the grassroots or alienate more traditionalist supporters, making the September event a litmus test for Knafo’s strategic judgment.

What the Reconquête Invitation Means for the Party’s Presidential Bid

For political observers and voters:

  • Watch the September event turnout and reception. The presence – and the nature – of any backlash will signal how much leeway Reconquête’s base gives to alignment with controversial digital personalities.
  • Track Knafo’s book tour and media appearances. The tone and audiences she targets will clarify whether she is positioning herself for a contested primary or merely strengthening her hand for a party role.
  • Monitor Éric Zemmour’s response. His silence may indicate either tacit approval or a brewing leadership conflict. Any public break would reshape the far-right primary dynamics immediately.
  • Assess the impact on mainstream conservatives. Association with Sardoche’s history – particularly the relationship with a minor – may create an opening for competitors like Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National to paint Reconquête as irresponsible.