Ihe generalization of the Universal National Service (SNU) on school time, the hypothesis of which was revived this week, revives the controversy over this disputed device, but the government, anxious not to antagonize young people in the inflammable context of pensions, affirms that “nothing is recorded”.
President Emmanuel Macron had indicated in January that he “would have the opportunity to come back in the coming weeks” to the SNU, which had been presented in 2018 as “the great social reform of the five-year term” but which is struggling to convince.
Launched in 2019 with the aim of eventually making it compulsory for an entire age group (around 800,000 young people per year), the scheme aims to “involve French youth in the life of the Nation”. However, it has drawn strong criticism both for its cost and its militaristic leanings. Its future outlines remain unclear.
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A total generalization in 2026?
The SNU brought together 2,000 young volunteers for a first experiment in 2019. Then, after a session canceled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 epidemic, 15,000 young people took part in it in 2021 and 32,000 in 2022 (compared to 50 000 expected).
Divided into two phases, it offers teenagers aged 15 to 17 the opportunity to participate in a free “cohesion stay”, including sports, cultural and intellectual activities, with days that begin with the “raising of the colors” (flag and national anthem) and wearing a uniform. Then they must take part in a mission of general interest for 84 hours in connection with an army service, an association or an administration.
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In the midst of the “cohesion stays”, an article from the left-wing weekly Politics relaunched speculation around the device this week. The newspaper cites a National Education document which evokes a “gradually compulsory” SNU, after an experiment “at the start of the 2023-2024 school year in six departments”. His cohesion stays would take place “during school time”.
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The Snes-FSU, the main teachers’ union in middle and high schools, gave credit to this information, specifying that Cher, Hautes-Alpes, Vosges, Finistère, Dordogne and Var “would be the [mal-]lucky ones” for a SNU “compulsory for second-year students from January 2024”, before an extension to “20 departments” in 2025 and a “total generalization in 2026”.
“Young people don’t want it! »
In the entourage of Sarah El Haïry, Secretary of State in charge of Youth and the SNU, it is indicated that she “continues to work on the two hypotheses which hold the rope: that of a possible generalization on school time” , which has its preference, and “that of an SNU which would not be generalized over school time and would remain voluntary, but would include incentive measures such as obtaining a driving license or the Bafa”.
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“Above all, she awaits the arbitration of the president”, whose schedule is “quite busy”. This could take place “this school year”, between March and June, but “nothing has been done at this stage”. “There is no urgency”, delays a government source to Agence France-Presse. Especially since in full mobilization against the pension reform, some consider it inappropriate to revive this subject. “Young people don’t want it! insists La Fage, the first student union.
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“It’s better to have a calm debate and to find the right moment”, judge for his part Thomas Gassilloud (Renaissance), president of the Defense Committee of the National Assembly. “The debate may be later in 2023,” he said.
A generalization that raises many questions
“This masquerade will not achieve any of the objectives that have been set for it”, castigates the deputy (LFI) Bastien Lachaud, whose movement is campaigning for a paid “citizen conscription of young adults”. For the elected official, the government wants to “bring the youth into line”.
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A generalization also continues to raise a number of questions. “How can we ensure all the logistics necessary to welcome more than 800,000 young people a year? France lacks suitable structures to make them eat, sleep, move, etc. There is also a lack of the essential adults to supervise them, ”wonders the Unsa Education union.
For historian Bénédicte Chéron, a specialist in armed-society relations, there is also “a real fundamental subject on the question of the obligation of a civic stay”. “That doesn’t exist in any democracy,” she stresses.