Continue watching freely

Le Regard Libre is opening a new chapter, building on the very qualities that define it: a passion for debate and a shared commitment to freedom, curiosity, and independence.

A few years ago, I was looking for a place where I could observe the world, share ideas, and participate in public discourse. Le Regard Libre seemed to meet all the conditions for doing so freely. I was right.

When I joined the editorial staff, I discovered that Jonas Follonier is an editor-in-chief driven by a contagious passion, surrounded by a team that is cultured, curious, and committed. Every editorial meeting brings its share of unexpected insights, unsettling perspectives, and productive disagreements. Taking over the editorial leadership of this magazine after twelve years under Jonas’s guidance is a challenge I welcome with great enthusiasm.

These are exciting times for a publication like ours. Technological breakthroughs are reshaping our economies and our imaginations; yesterday’s geopolitical certainties are shattering, while our relationship to work, identity, the transmission of knowledge, and even truth is undergoing a profound transformation. Yet, even as the world grows more complex, public discourse often seems to be losing depth. Clichéd responses and ideological reflexes all too often set the pace.

The Long-Term Bet

It is precisely in this context that Le Regard Libre finds its purpose. We believe there is still a place for the long view—for an in-depth analysis of the world around us and the ideas that have shaped our past and will shape our future. Our monthly publication schedule offers us a luxury that has become rare: the luxury of perspective. It is up to us, the editors, to gain a deep understanding before we write. And it is up to you, the readers, to read without being constantly swept up in the flow of current events.

A magazine is also a community—one that has formed around the Regard Libre Over the years, this has become one of our greatest assets: a discerning and well-informed readership that drives us to continually raise our editorial standards. At a time when attention is highly sought after and access to information is virtually unlimited, knowing that you choose to devote part of your time to reading us is a privilege that comes with a responsibility. We intend to continue growing and nurturing this wonderful community by expanding our events, formats, and channels.

This new phase builds on what has defined the identity of the Regard Libre. A self-proclaimed liberal stance—not as a partisan label, but as a philosophy: confident in the individual’s ability to shape their own destiny, open to debate as a path to truth, aware of the fallibility of all thought, passionate about culture and its ability to elevate us, and vigilant against political centralization and excessive planning that stifle spontaneity.

We will defend our convictions without turning them into dogmas, welcoming voices that will enrich our vision and, at times, challenge it. For a journal like ours can only move forward if it remains mindful of its own blind spots and makes room for different—and sometimes surprising—ways of thinking.

The name of this magazine is also an invitation. Let’s continue to look at the world freely, with curiosity, high standards, and independence. It is this ambition that we will pursue, together with you, in the years to come.

Thank you for joining us.

Federal Palace Correspondent for the newspaper L'Agefi, Pablo Sánchez is the editor-in-chief of the Regard Libre. Write to the author: pablo.sanchez@leregardlibre.com.

You have just read content published in our print edition (Le Regard Libre No. 129).