While the Prime Minister has delivered his general policy statement, we, mayors and parliamentarians, are waiting – with a certain impatience – to know the fate that will be reserved for the universal national service (SNU). If the budgetary emergency requires rethinking its financing, its generalization must remain the objective, that of a social project.
Two weeks of immersion with other young people from all regions, from all social backgrounds, from all levels of study for a unique experience of living in a community, discovering oneself and others. A mission of general interest of 84 hours, a time of service to the Nation, to understand new perspectives.
Encourage sincere support for the Nation
More than a political project, the universal national service (SNU) is indeed a social project. That, which has become crucial, of bringing younger generations closer to the Republic and democratic life and to arouse sincere support for the Nation. Become aware of your rights and duties, discover your power and your desire to act for the benefit of the general interest. The SNU is the discovery of a unique, collective, civic and educational experience, which makes it possible to strengthen national cohesion and promote a real culture of commitment.
Witnesses on the ground, in the constituency and in our municipalities, of its highly perfectible nature (governance, organization, communication) and aware of the need to rethink the modalities of its financing in a budgetary context where the deficit risks reaching this year the 6%, we call on the new government not to sacrifice the ambition of its generalization on the altar of Bercy, at the risk of widening the citizen deficit, already well underway. And to say that is not to brush aside the conclusions of the Court of Auditors’ report.
800,000 young people each year, aged 15 to 17, could live this unique experience. An experience far removed from summer camp and incommensurate with military service, as it embraces in its approach the new issues and challenges of our century. The very ones that resonate with the youngest.
Three quarters of French people in favor
Universal national service is also the Republican promise: to stop the spiral of inequalities of destiny, the inevitability of a chaotic future, the house arrest of certain populations, which national solidarity should have assumed, sooner or later.
The French are not mistaken, in the recent Opinion Way survey for Le Parisien on Sunday, 72% of them declared themselves in favor of this generalization of the SNU. The new Minister of Youth was one of the first mayors to support the system and the new Minister of National Education also seems to be attached to it. It would be totally incoherent – and incomprehensible – to create a Ministry of Citizenship and the Fight against Discrimination and, at the same time, to renounce the SNU, as it is the embodiment of an innovative public policy to transform the country over the long term.
Amplifying the culture of citizen engagement
96% satisfaction among the 90,000 young people involved since 2019. You only need to hear them to be convinced that the SNU has allowed them to develop the values essential to future citizens, such as respect, tolerance, solidarity, cohesion, fraternity, surpassing oneself, a sense of responsibility and commitment. And above all, they all talk about the pride they feel at having found their place in a society that is turned upside down and where everything is moving too quickly, through concrete achievements, whether individual or collective. They became aware of their real potential and their ability to overcome obstacles to build projects together.
All these committed young people demonstrate that the SNU is anything but the weak link in the civic journey. On the contrary, it proves to be the essential cursor to amplify a greater culture of civic engagement and allow our youth to better understand their role and their place in society. This is the reason why its success cannot be complete without its generalization, so that the desire to create a Nation takes precedence over the loss of confidence in the Republic. Investing in young people will never be a mistake, but on the contrary the promise of a renewed republican pact.
(1) Jean-Baptiste Hamonic, mayor of Villepreux
Alain Chrétien, Mayor of Vesoul
Vincent Chauvet, Mayor of Autun
Xavier Iacovelli, senator of Hauts de Seine
Christophe Blanchet, deputy for Calvados
Achille Hourdé, Mayor of Jaignes
Adrien Baron, 1st deputy of Cugand
André Barbarin, Mayor of Montmorot
André Mellinger, Mayor of Figeac
Anne Gallo-Kerleau, Mayor of Saint-Avé
Béatrice Piron, Member of Parliament for Yvelines
Bruno Coradetti, Mayor of Vésinet
Carole Bontemps-Hesdin, Mayor of Reyrieux
Cécile Gallien, Mayor of Vorey
Cédric Pemba-Marine, Mayor of Port-Marly
Christophe Le Boulanger, Mayor of Caumont-sur-Aure
Daniel Fargeot, Senator of Val d’Oise
David Le Solliec, Honorary Mayor of Gourin
Delphine Lingemann, Member of Parliament for Puy-de-Dôme
Denis Thuriot, Mayor of Nevers, President of Nevers Agglomération and Regional Councilor
Eddie Aït, Mayor of Carrières-sous-Poissy
Elisabeth Burnouf, Deputy Mayor of Siouville-Hague
Éric Berlivet, Mayor of Roche la Molière
Franck Longo, Mayor of Fontaine
Francois Decoster, Mayor of Saint-Omer
Frédéric Augis, Mayor of Joué-Lès-Tours and President of Tours Métropole Val de Loire
Gabriel Aumonier, Mayor of Misérieux
Hubert Arnaud, Mayor of Autrans-Méaudre in Vercors
Jean Dionis du Sejour, Mayor of Agen and President of the urban area
Jean-Christophe Rhaut, Mayor of Assat
Jerôme Peyrat, Mayor of La Roque-Gageac
Jérôme Sourisseau, Mayor of Bourg Charente
Laurent Croizier, Member of Parliament for Doubs
Line Magne, Mayor of Moissy-Cramayel
Luc Bouard, Mayor of La Roche sur Yon
Martin Lévrier, Senator of Yvelines
Maxence de Rugy, Mayor of Talmont Saint Hilaire
Miguel Leroy, Mayor of Auvilliers-les-Forges
Nicolas Leudière, Mayor of Sablé sur Sarthe
Nicolas Paget, Mayor of Courthézon
Philippe Celestin, Deputy Mayor of Dourdan
Philippe Rouleau, Mayor of Herblay-sur-Seine
Pierre Grosjean, Mayor of Baugy and departmental councilor
Serge Le Balc’h, Mayor of Meslay le Vidame
Sophie Rigault, Mayor of Saint-Michel-sur-Orge and Vice-President of the Departmental Council of Essonne
Stéphan Rossignol, Mayor of La Grande Motte
Stéphane Garcia, Mayor of Saint Just and Vice-President of the Bourges agglomeration More
Stéphanie Doyen, Mayor of Saint-Pierre-Quiberon
Ugo Planchet, Mayor of Saint-Aignan-le-Jaillard