“Millions of researchers challenge the government” ( Le Monde, 10/3), “Researchers find the support of France” ( La Croix, 9/3)…These are just some of the headlines that show that the “university emergency” is an issue close to the heart of French public opinion, at a time when government measures are announcing “cuts” in so crucial a sector for present and future generations. Le Monde, in its edition of 11/3, opens with an appeal by university researchers to President Chirac, in which they ask the highest French authority to “make research a priority” of his term of office. Meanwhile, over 2000 laboratory heads have resigned from their administrative posts, and the French national research council has presented a projected reform of the public system. “Speaking to researchers”, is the title of the editorial inside the same paper, in which the need is emphasized to “stop making researchers the victims of a liberal policy drastically aimed at the reduction of posts. The French, as a recent opinion poll published by La Croix attests, love ‘research’.” In response to the crisis, says the editorial, “ the government must make concrete responses, other than the promises it has put off until 2010″. La Croix of 9/3 dedicates its own opening story to the exclusive survey commissioned by the French Catholic daily, from which it emerges that “the overwhelming majority of the French (82%) express support or sympathy with the movement of researchers”. “In their current difficulties comments Bruno Frappat researchers have at least found something: the support of public opinion (…). Winning the battle of public opinion is an essential objective of professional categories, when they enter into conflict with the authorities. It’s the first front in the battle line. What’s needed is to prevent any intransigence in the face-to-face meeting with the authorities, whether it’s the government, in the case of public employees, or the unions, in the case of employees in the private sector”. The Italian vote on the “prolongation” of the country’s mission in Iraq to the end of June is commented on by Marco Tarquinio ( Avvenire, 11/3), according to whom “the common denominator is and remains the declared will to remain in Iraq to create ‘as soon as possible’ a context favourable to the full restoration of that complex country to self-government and, in any case, ensure that the management of the process of transition be rapidly transferred to the UNO”. ———————————————————————————————————– Sir Europa (English) N.ro assoluto : 1279 N.ro relativo : 19 Data pubblicazione : 13/03/04
