The Court of Auditors points to a system “with uncertain objectives”, a budget “largely underestimated” and whose generalization is “unprepared”

The body is sceptical about the generalisation of the SNU, but also about its current form.

The universal national service, launched in 2019, is regularly highlighted by the executive, which is supposed to restore a sense of national cohesion to young people. Today, it includes in particular a cohesion stay and a mission of general interest, for volunteers only. Emmanuel Macron regularly repeats his wish to see it generalized and last January, Gabriel Attal predicted a SNU for an entire age group by 2026.

But the Court of Auditors has looked into this system and is publishing its report today. The body is not convinced, and far from it.

“The objectives remain uncertain to this day.” The financial jurisdiction also notes that the number of young people targeted each year is never reached. The wise men are also severe on the cost of the SNU, “vastly underestimated” according to them.

In terms of social diversity and commitment, the ambitions of the system have not been achieved

Court of Auditors report on the SNU

The Court of Auditors states that its deployment is encountering multiple difficulties, for example in finding accommodation, in recruiting supervisors or in managing the transport and clothing of the young people.

This is the result, according to this report, of a “forced ramp-up” without the appropriate means being implemented, which leads to “disorganization, emergency management and additional costs”.

In this context, a generalisation raises important operational questions, say the magistrates, and would be very costly: between 3 and a half and 5 billion euros, according to them, far from the budget currently programmed until 2027.

In its recommendations, the Court of Auditors calls for “clarify the objectives of the system and plan their evaluation methods”but also to “define the terms of involvement of local authorities”. The Sages recommend to “provide a legal basis” at the SNU “allowing its scalability”but also to “structure a career path in order to meet the needs for management and supervisory staff at the centers hosting cohesion stays.”