The campaign for the 2022 presidential election has so far focused on insecurity, immigration, purchasing power or, for the past few days, the war in Ukraine. But among the forgotten subjects: research. This is what some scientists deplore, warning about their working conditions and fearing a downgrading of France.
Three weeks before the first round of the presidential election, we now know the program of all the candidates. Strengthen the autonomy of universities and focus research on strategic sectors, these are the proposals of Emmanuel Macron, for example, presented Thursday, March 17. Not enough to satisfy some researchers. “There is a lack of scientific culture and a lack of awareness of the importance of research among the political class, regrets Boris Gralak, researcher at the CNRS and head of the union of scientific researchers. Public research has shrunk in France. She doesn’t have the place she should have. Take the CNRS, which is the leading research operator in France: it has lost 10% of its jobs in ten years. It’s practically a social plan!”
Twenty years ago, European countries agreed to devote 3% of their GDP to research. This objective has never been achieved in France, and the number of scientific publications is slowing down. This is one of the criteria for evaluating the dynamism of research. According to a report by the High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (Hcéres), France rose between 2005 and 2018 from sixth to ninth place in the world, overtaken by Italy or South Korea. “Science is essential; research is essential, continues Boris Gralac. They understood it in many countries. In France, we still haven’t understood this. We are always twenty years behind. It really takes awareness. First an investment, and with this investment, more researchers. We train young researchers, but unfortunately they are unable to continue in research.”
Young scientists whose journey is sometimes strewn with pitfalls. Moral or sexual harassment, precariousness… This is the gloomy picture painted by the neurobiologist Adèle Combes in her book How the university crushes young researchers. “In the survey, there are about 20% of respondents who say they have experienced bullying strictly speaking. And one in two who say they have experienced at least psychological violence during the doctorate. This can be: ‘We shout at me, they insult me, they steal my work. And these are people who are completely broken, there are some who give up. What she expects from presidential candidates is that they recognize “the crucial importance of research for society”.
Putting research at the heart of the campaign is also the objective of the Academy of Sciences, which sent a questionnaire to the candidates. The answers will be revealed on Friday, March 18.