The first meeting of the Parcoursup reform committee turns short

A large part of the high school and student organizations as well as the education inter-union left the first meeting of the Parcoursup reform committee on Monday, denouncing in particular the presence of representatives of the extreme right and employers. “We left this meeting in an inter-union manner and we insist on the fact that we will never enter a room with the extreme right, with people who are responsible for the propagation of racist, fascist and hateful ideas,” Manon Moret, general secretary of Unef, told the press.

“It’s a shame that there was the extreme right at this meeting,” added Éloïse Lefebvre-Milon, co-general secretary of the Student Union. Union officials notably denounced the presence of the UNI student union, which presents itself as the “first right-wing student movement”, as well as that of Thierry Tesson, RN deputy from the North, and Gaëlle Frontoni, UDR senator from the Alpes-Maritimes. Among the youth organizations, only Renouveau lycéen, the UNI and a few elected officials from the National Council for High School Life (CNVL) chose to stay, according to a participant. On October 21, several student organizations had already boycotted a consultation on Parcoursup due to the presence of a representative of the UNI.

“Nothing satisfactory”

Announced last week by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, this first meeting of the Parcoursup committee was held following an exchange between the head of government and representatives of youth organizations. This committee brings together high school and student organizations, education unions, parliamentarians and representatives of employers' organizations. Student unions also contested the place given to the latter.

“We refuse to allow higher education to be reformed based on the needs of businesses. It is the young people who we must listen to,” insisted Éloïse Lefebvre-Milon. “We come out with the same observation, that is to say still nothing satisfactory,” she added, recalling that the youth inter-union (Fage, Student Union, Unef, USL) continues to demand the repeal of Parcoursup. The government announced a fortnight ago a change in the post-baccalaureate guidance platform, at the heart of the protest, before its replacement in 2028.

Same criticism from the education inter-union, which also left the meeting. “The government is incapable of providing a new response to high school students and staff,” denounced Sophie Vénétitay, general secretary of Snes-FSU, the leading union in secondary education. “We are worried because the situation has been bogged down for a long time,” added Morgane Verviers, general secretary of Unsa Education. “We really need to find a political way out of this crisis.”