This year, something changed. Not just the record attendance, but the atmosphere. The Centre Jean Gol is no longer just a bold liberal think tank: for the duration of a fair, it became a place that inspires warmth and curiosity. A look back at a Book Fair like no other.
It all begins on Wednesday 25 March, with the opening cocktail. MPs, elected representatives, exhibitors and winners of our competition gather at our stand. This warm atmosphere sets the tone for the days that follow.
Right from the next morning, when the doors of Tour & Taxis opened, it quickly became clear: there had never been so much traffic at our stand. And the audience was surprisingly diverse. Regulars, of course. But also curious passers-by who stopped upon seeing the Centre Jean Gol logo, sometimes to move on, often to ask a question, and many to share a few words with us. Our stand became, without really planning it, a genuine ice-breaker.
How can such a phenomenon be explained? First, there is the intense activity of the Centre Jean Gol over the past three or four years: several studies widely covered by the press, the last three conferences which drew huge crowds, its lectures, its policy positions, and so on.
And the episode of controversy surrounding our participation in the Fair? It comes up regularly in conversations. It always starts with a joke, then curiosity follows: "But what exactly happened?". And then our story speaks for itself. It inspires warmth. That, in fact, is one of the great lessons of this edition: the Centre Jean Gol has long been seen as a symbol of disruption and boldness. And it still is. But today, warmth and genuine interest also prevail. People come to us. Naturally.
The audience, then. All sorts of people. Professionals, students, activists, passers-by. And also school classes. Their teachers might raise an eyebrow at seeing a Centre Jean Gol pen on their desks. Or a 14-year-old teenager who came with his savings to buy himself Georges-Louis Bouchez: À bâtons rompus.
On Thursday 26 March at 6pm, the Centre Jean Gol held its conference: "The Resurgence of Empires and Wars in Europe". Organised at the last minute, it brought together 3 speakers: Georges-Louis Bouchez, President of the MR and the Centre Jean Gol, Sven Biscop, Director of the Egmont Royal Institute and specialist in European strategy, and Sébastien Boussois, Director of the European Geopolitical Institute. An hour on the reshaping of the international system, questioned European sovereignty and the return of power politics. And the Book Fair's commissioner, present in the room, made us a promise at the end of the evening: next year, they'll start earlier. That will allow us to attract even more people.
This weekend too, the stand is running at full pace. Visitors stop by, flick through our studies, particularly our work on artificial intelligence, and ask questions about our various topics. Enthusiasm shows no sign of waning. And that, ultimately, is the most important message of this 2026 Book Fair: you are here, in great numbers, diverse and curious. And we will always be here to respond.