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This newspaper vendor like no other awarded by Emmanuel Macron

undefined undefined 10 juin 2025 undefined 12h00

The Editor

© alicayest / Instagram

For over 50 years now, Ali Akbar has been wandering the streets of the Latin Quarter selling newspapers at the market. A true institution in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, he is the last to practice this profession in the capital. It’s a job like no other, soon to be recognized by the President himself.

In Paris, there are a few personalities who are absolutely inseparable from their neighborhood. One such person was Michou, who ignited the nights of Montmartre for decades. The same goes for Ali, an iconic figure of the 5th and 6th districts, who throughout his unique career, has continuously brought smiles to passersby by chanting wacky titles while waving his newspapers. A remarkable destiny that President Emmanuel Macron is sure to acknowledge.


A Unique Journey

Ali, of Pakistani origin, arrived in France for the first time at the age of 20. While he started as a dishwasher in a restaurant in Rouen, he quickly fell under the charm of street vendors during a stay in Paris, back when they were still quite numerous in the streets of the capital. Without hesitation, he jumped right in.

in the field (even though he speaks very little French), and works for Libération, and especially Charlie Hebdo.

In the 90s, he then turned to Le Monde, following some disagreements with the new editor-in-chief of the satirical newspaper. However, the headlines of the daily attracted less attention than those of the weekly. So, he decided to invent his own slogans, often related to current events, to draw in readers. « It’s official: Marine Le Pen is no longer racist! », «Charles Martel stops the Arabs at Poitiers», or even « Assassination of Henry IV»… These humorous hooks have become, throughout his career, his signature.


A well-deserved reward

Yet, over the years, all his colleagues have deserted the streets of the capital, leaving him alone. Ali doesn’t give up, though, and even if clients become scarcer, he perseveres with his activity and even starts to...

; to diversify, by launching in 2021 its food truck near the Luxembourg Garden. A perseverance and a highlight of a forgotten profession that today earns him recognition from the President of the Republic himself.

Indeed, the Tribune du Dimanche revealed this weekend that a news vendor received a letter from Emmanuel Macron, in which the statesman announces that Ali will soon be named a knight in the national order of Merit. What a wonderful reward for someone who has spent his life trying to bring smiles to all the passersby in his path.