However, Télé Free Dom was quickly deemed illegal and shut down by the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (CSA), which prohibited its broadcasts.
[2][3] This decision was seen as "silencing the voice of the people", leading to a series of clashes between youths and riot police (CRS) in Saint-Denis in February 1991, an event known as the "Événements du Chaudron [fr].
[4][5] Recognizing the underlying social unrest in Réunion, Camille Sudre founded a political movement named Free Dom, which he led.
In 1992, he was elected President of the Regional Council of Réunion with a platform focused on achieving social equality with metropolitan France.
[7][8] Margie Sudre succeeded her husband as head of the institution but soon diverged from his political views, moving closer to the right and joining the government in 1995.