We, students and former students of Sciences Po, teachers and members of the school community, deplore the exploitation of our school by a violent minority who undermine all the principles of Rue Saint-Guillaume. Founded more than 150 years ago, our institution has always promoted universalism while respecting the diversity of thoughts and laws. Today, with more than 15,000 students – including 50% international students and 29% scholarship students – spread across seven campuses, Sciences Po embodies essential cultural and intellectual diversity in an era where competition for knowledge is exacerbated by artificial intelligence, the return of the logic of geopolitical blocs and the rise of populism.
The historic mission of our school, initiated by Emile Boutmy in 1872, aimed to train enlightened elites for a renewed France, following the political and moral crisis of the time.
This spirit is now threatened by the nauseating exploitation of external conflicts by political movements which seek to sow chaos by developing an ideology contrary to our republican and universalist values. For too long already, the intellectual mission of Sciences Po has suffered under the influence of a minority which hinders the debate, making certain speakers de facto “persona non grata”.
The recent demonstrations of force by a radicalized minority on our Paris campus, promoting anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist ideas and which cynically exploits the context of the war between Israel and Hamas triggered by the massacres of October 7, are totally unacceptable. This violence and polarization go completely against our mission of openness and dialogue.
Taking disciplinary measures
We firmly condemn intellectual connivance and renunciation in the face of these behaviors. The Sciences Po administration must act with determination to guarantee the security and academic integrity of our institution. We therefore urge:
1. The return to serenity and security of education for all students and teaching staff.
2. Taking firm disciplinary measures to prevent the repetition of unacceptable behavior for the safety of students and to clearly sanction any call to violence and hatred within Sciences Po. In this regard, we firmly oppose any form of amnesty which could legitimize these destabilizing actions in our school.
3. Refusal to call into question agreements with our legitimate international university partners, including Israeli universities.
We also recall the crucial importance of Sciences Po in public affairs and the business world, where its diversity and intellectual curiosity are major assets. In the face of the erosion of critical thinking, we call for strengthening our commitment to dialogue, intercultural understanding and respect, which are essential to preparing our students for citizenship.
We call on the new management to resolutely commit to the establishment of a peaceful intellectual framework which will ensure excellence in teaching, promoting an open and taboo-free space for discussion, in accordance with the historical mission of the school. . Together, let us commit to maintaining the integrity of our educational mission and navigating these troubled times intelligently.
*List of first signatories:
Jonathan AiachInvestor Camille BedinBusiness manager Xavier BendavidCompany manager Stéphane BoujnahCompany manager Alexander ChertokCompany manager Eric Choleditorial director of L’Express Gilles ConstantiniCompany manager Natalie David-WeillAuthor Pierre-Henri DumontMember of Parliament for Pas-de-Calais Gregory EdbergInvestment banker Laura El MakkiProducer Frédéric EncelSenior lecturer David FitoussiInvestor Lisa FitoussiProfessor and Business Manager Caroline Fouresteditorial director of Franc-Tireur Benjamin HaddadMember of Parliament for Paris François HeilbronnAssociate University Professor Felix HubinCompany manager Philippine Hubin-CharonBusiness manager Alexandra JoussetJournalist Gilles KepelUniversity professor Anna KlarsfeldEditor Matthew LaineBusiness executive and writer Noelle LenoirLawyer and former Minister Erwan Le NoanCompany manager Samuel LejoyeuxStudent Corinne LepageLawyer, former Minister Antonin LevyLawyer Deborah Lévy, Business manager Yedidia Levy-ZaubermanCompany manager Grégoire LucasCompany manager Maxime LothStudent Rasmus MichauCompany manager Philippe Moreau-ChevroletConsultant Benoit MournetDeputy for Hautes-Pyrénées Benjamin OstrowkaCompany manager Jérémie Patrier-LeitusMember of Parliament for Calvados and Professor Pascal PerrineauProfessor Emeritus Sarah ProtConsultant Robin RivatonCompany manager Louis RobertInvestor Simone Rodan-BenzaquenAssociation Director Karine RozenblumLawyer Mathilde SaltielLawyer Fabrice SeimanInvestor Jonathan SiboniCompany manager Alexis SingerInvestment banker Jean-Baptiste SoufronLawyer Jean-Michel StegInvestment banker Laetitia Strauch-BonartEssayist Pierre-Olivier SurLawyer, former President of the Paris Bar Laura TerdjmanLawyer Sophie TorlotinJournalist Yves WetzelsbergerConsultant