Paris (AFP)

The Minister of Culture Franck Riester told Tuesday in the Assembly that "35,000 young people" have "connected" to the cultural pass on the pool of 150,000 young people where the experiment takes place, facing an opposition criticizing the lack of effectiveness of this device.

The government launched on February 1, 2019 an experiment of this flagship measure of the government, which offers free to young people of 18 years up to 500 euros of expenses in activities and cultural goods, thanks to an application which geolocates them.

It is currently conducted in 14 departments in a pool of 150,000 young people. There is a "very strong rise in power." Today we are 35,000 young people connected to the culture pass. (...) We are deploying communication campaigns ", assured Franck Riester.

These are "essentially the books that are bought by the young people but also the shows.We see a number of young people who establish a strategy for festivals or plays in their regions," he added, promising "very quickly a very accurate first assessment. "

Several opposition MPs, such as LR Brigitte Kuster or socialist Valérie Rabault, have "questioned" the low number of subscribers and the "consumption rate" disappointing the 500 euros provided, since the average amount spent is 94 euros according to the rapporteur Dominique David (LREM).

On the extreme right, Emmanuelle Ménard (a relative RN) denounced a "fiasco" and criticized the expenses of young people in "video games".

Asked about the remuneration of the leaders of the SAS Pass culture, in charge of managing the system, Franck Riester said it was "in the process of being finalized, not fixed for the moment, it will be in the standards of what is done for a digital business ".

The Assembly was examining the budget for culture, which was a slight increase, presented as a "real effort in the current budgetary context" by Franck Riester, but considered insufficient by the left.

This cultural mission (heritage, creation, transmission of knowledge and democratization of culture) represents 2.96 billion euros in payment appropriations in 2020, an increase of 29 million euros compared to 2019 (+ 1%).

Against the opinion of the government, the deputies voted a boost of 5 million euros to the regional directorates of cultural affairs (DRAC) to support the "musical harmonies and fanfares" in the territories.

Franck Riester had expressed his reluctance when just voted the creation of the National Center of Music, specifically responsible for supporting musical creation.

© 2019 AFP