Sarkozy's scientific faux-pas

(March 19th 2009) France's universities and researchers have been on national strike ever since President Nicolas Sarkozy heavily attacked scientists and researchers in a speech two months ago. Jeremy Garwood reports.

Since its election in 2007, the government of French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, has introduced radical reforms to France's universities and research institutions. The speed with which these reforms have been presented and the general lack of consultation as to their wisdom has left many researchers and teacher-researchers unsure whether they agree or disagree. Until recently there has been a lack of a unified response to the government's myriad reforms - there are so many different aspects, barely do they have time to make a measured response to one proposal before it has been superceded by another. However, what the government had not predicted was the incredible catalysing effect of one man's words! Step forward, Nicolas Sarkozy who on January 22nd delivered his personal vision of French scientific research - in a surge of popular outrage, France's universities and researchers have been on strike ever since!

If Sarkozy and Valerie Pecresse, his minister for research and higher education, had been planning a strategy of 'divide and conquer' to push through their reforms, then by the autumn of 2008, they seemed to be winning. Their Law on Universities ('LRU') which promised autonomy to France's 85 universities had succeeded in buying off senior academics by according exceptional powers to the President and Administrative Councils (see LT 02/08). And their research reforms (LT 01/08), including the dismantlement of the CNRS (LT 04/08), flattered the egos of selected elitist researchers "who think they are the best and that none of the reforms apply to them", promising to allow them to create a streamlined vision of French research based on their own definitions of "excellence".

Opposition to these reforms continued to come from the organisation, 'Sauvons la Recherche' (SOS Research, established in 2003 to fight buget cuts under President Chirac), joined by the newly-formed 'Sauvons l'Université' (SOS University), and the ever-present, but little-supported, trade unions. However, 2008 was also the 40th anniversary of "mai soixante-huit" - those few months of student unrest that have since acquired a mythical status in French culture. In October and November 2008, carried along by a desire to emulate these past exploits, high school students began sit-ins and highly publicised protests against school education reforms - too highly publicised for the government's liking, a postponement of this legislation was hastily announced in December.

So where were the university students? Apparently, waiting for 'Sarko'!

President Sarkozy's speech on January 22nd at the Elysee Palace, before an audience of university presidents, heads of research institutions and leaders of French industry, was not long - but its effect was electrifying! For those who don't understand French, highlights (?) from it have been helpfully put online with English subtitles at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjR-veW02Lo

Attacking French scientists, researchers and teacher-researchers, Sarkozy said the research system was "infantilizing and paralyzing", that French researchers were not productive enough, and that after decades of failed attempts at change, his radical reforms were now the government's top priority. "The forces of conservatism and immobilism have always triumphed and that has to stop." He announced that the CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research - 23,000 researchers) will no longer carry out its own research but will instead become a funding agency, that an 18-member panel would be selected to come up with a new National Research and Innovation Strategy, and that promised budget increases for university funding would only be accorded if his government's reforms were accepted.

Incendiary quotes from Sarkozy's speech included:

"I don't see at all how a system of weak universities, led by a finicky central government, could be an efficient weapon in the battle for intelligence. On the contrary, it's a system that infantilizes and paralyzes creativity and innovation. That's why we gave the universities autonomy."

"No other country has produced so many institutes, agencies, groups and other microscopic organizations that dilute means and responsibilities, pull every which way, and waste time and money."

"Is science just a question of financial means and jobs? How then do we explain that with science spending higher than in Great Britain, and about 15% more researchers than our English friends, France is well behind in its scientific production? Somebody better explain that to me! More researchers, fewer publications, and excuse me, I don't want to be unpleasant, but with a comparable budget, a French researcher publishes 30% to 50% less than a British one in some sectors."

In a particularly contemptuous response to murmurs of protest from the invited academics, he said "Obviously if you don't want to admit that, then I thank you for coming - it's light in here, it's well-heated, one can sit here, one can write. It's a reality and if that reality is disagreeable because it's the reality you still have to face up to it!"

He concluded with: "Sometimes I hear people say we have to have a pause in the reforms. I'd like to reply: Tired already? Really, two years of reforms, that should bearable! For higher education, for research and innovation, 2009 will be the year of action and reforms."

Well, it's not clear if this was the action he had in mind, but reaction to his speech was swift.

Alain Trautmann for SOS Research said the speech was full of "lies and insults" and had created "shame and anger" among scientists. The only French scientist that Sarkozy actually praised in his speech, Albert Fert, the 2007 Nobel prize-winning physicist, severely criticised Sarkozy's reforms: "research and higher education deserve better than these incoherent and counter-productive measures!" The 128 members of the Institut Universitaire de France recorded their "stupefaction" at the President's speech, defended the "internationally recognised quality and diversity" of French research, and repudiated Sarkozy's "sarcasm" and "untruths".

They wrote: "We academics, with differing views, and sometimes divergent opinions of how the university system should function, are therefore unanimous: the lack of consideration you gave regarding the world of research and higher education on 22 January has had, and will have, catastrophic effects as our reaction today will bear witness."

University lecturers and researchers in France began a national strike on 2nd February. There have been demonstrations, some violent, at major universities across France - more than 40,000 protesters on February 10th, over 30,000 on the 19th, upto 50,000 on March 5th. In Strasbourg, the official opening of the newly created, autonomous university, attended by Valerie Pecresse, saw police occupy the steps of the university's main building and use tear gas against demonstrators.

In Lyon, activists have held mock funerals for universities. In Paris, lectures were held in streets and cafés. Teaching stopped in February at many universities as teacher-researchers insisted on doing research in protest at plans to oblige them to teach longer hours and to be assessed every 4 years. Lecturers refused to return marked papers and half the university classes were affected across the country. Universities have seen a remarkable show of solidarity - even traditionally right-wing Law Faculties have gone on strike. Many presidents of the newly-autonomous universities (as of 1st January) have also joined the protests calling for the withdrawal of more controversial legislation affecting the statute and assessment of teacher-researchers.

Although the government has belatedly said it will modify some proposals concerning employment statue and job cuts, it is no longer enough - the universities' national strike committee voted on 5th March to continue their "total and unlimited" strike, and the demand is for a withdrawal and reassessment of all the proposed reforms. What will Sarkozy do for an 'encore'?