French scientific researchers are angry. While at the end of 2023, President Emmanuel Macron promised them more resources, which they have been asking for for a long time, they are stunned after the announcement of a cut in their budget for 2024: 904 million euros less for the Higher education, most of which was intended for research. Researchers denounce double standards from the executive.
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The astonishment and disappointment are total within the research sector in France. The announcement of the cut in the budget allocated to the Ministry of Higher Education and Research is received as a blow by those mainly concerned, who point out a government whose words are contrary to its actions.
“ On the one hand, we have the president Emmanuel Macron who gave us a speech on December 7 last, telling us that research was important, that they were going to make up for the investments in research. So we have speeches like these on the one hand, by the president himself. And on the other hand, in reality, there are huge budget cuts. It’s almost 5 % budget cuts! », deplores Boris Gralak, general secretary of the SNCS-FSU, the union of scientific researchers, joined by Aram Mbengue from the France editorial team.
“ We are totally stunned by these announcements. And it is research that pays the heaviest price, and by far, since out of these 900 million, there are 380 million euros less for research organizations. So 380 million euros less is really incomprehensible, unheard of… », he continues.
Multiple strokes of the plane
The French government announced Thursday, February 22, by decree ten billion euros of additional savings in the 2024 budget voted before Christmas, drawing heavily from several programs. Thus, although elevated in September to the rank of “absolute priority”, the budget allocated to the ecological transition is reduced, with a downward revision of one billion euros of the aid envelope to better heat and better insulate the MaPrimeRénov housing. Furthermore, the categories “work and employment”, “research and higher education” and “school education” are concerned respectively by 1.1 billion, 900 million and 690 million euros in canceled credits. Public development aid is cut by 740 million euros, assistance with access to housing loses 300 million, culture 200 million, the national police 134 million, the prison administration some 118 million and defense 105 million.
Objective: reduce the public deficit to 4.4% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024, facing a growth forecast lowered to 1%, compared to 1.4% previously. This tightening of the screws is in addition to the 16 billion savings already voted for in the 2024 budget, mainly coming from the removal of the energy shield.
Day of Action March 19
When these cuts were announced, Jean-Moulin Lyon-3 University initiated the procedure to refer the matter to the Council of State, believing that such a measure should have passed through a vote in Parliament. “ The government has chosen to exceed its powers and bypass Parliament by modifying, beyond the ceilings provided for by law, the Nation’s budget “, Eric Carpano, the president of this university, told AFP. For the establishment, “education, higher education, research and ecological transition are the main victims of this disengagement of the State”. The university criticizes a manifest error of assessment » and “ political choices contrary to the interests of young people and the necessary preservation of the climate “.
With the Civil Service inter-union, the FSU is calling for a strike on Tuesday March 19 to defend better working conditions and remuneration which will be affected by budget cuts.