Controversy over "Islamo-leftism": Minister Frédérique Vidal does not let go
(illustration) Frédérique Vidal, Minister of Higher Education is at the heart of a controversy.
AFP
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3 min
In the pages of the Journal du dimanche, the Minister of Higher Education assures us: an investigation will be carried out against the "gangrene of Islamo-leftism" in French universities.
Professors, university presidents, researchers denounce an attack on their freedom ...
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Right in his boots.
Despite the rebellion of academics and although barely supported by the executive, Frédérique Vidal confirms
in the columns of the
JDD
that a CNRS investigation will indeed take place on "Islamo-leftism" in universities.
A sociological survey, she says.
It will be a question of making an inventory of university education and identifying possible obstacles to the adversarial debate.
The minister tries to minimize the controversy that has agitated the political and academic world since her last statements.
It all started in the National Assembly when the Minister of Higher Education announced that she was going to ask the CNRS, the National Center for Scientific Research, "for
an assessment of all the research
" taking place in France, in order to distinguish between what is academic research and what is activism.
A few days later, on a private channel, Frédérique Vidal points to "
Islamo-leftism
" which, according to her, "
plagues society as a whole and the university is not impermeable
".
►
To read also
:
Behind the term "Islamo-leftism", visions of the world that collide
Many academics, starting with the Conference of University Presidents (CPU) then express their "
amazement
".
In a vitriolic press release, the CPU denounces "the caricatured representations" of the government.
Six hundred teachers even demand the resignation of the minister in a
forum in the daily
Le Monde
.
Government embarrassment
In the
JDD
this Sunday, Frédérique Vidal denounces a "
trial of intent
" and denies wanting to set up a "
thought police
".
But it is very fragile, isolated in the government.
Only the Minister of Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer gave him his support.
In
October,
he had already used this expression by taking particular the student union UNEF.
Asked about BFMTV this Saturday, the minister added, assuring that “
Islamo-leftism
” was an “
unmistakable social fact
” that had to be “
looked in the face
”.
Prime Minister Jean Castex remains silent and Emmanuel Macron keeps his distance.
The president has an “
absolute attachment to the independence of teacher-researchers,
” government spokesman Gabriel Attal said last Wednesday, thus distancing himself from the investigation requested by Frédérique Vidal.
Sign of the unease within the executive, when the
JDD
asks her if she has the support of the president, the minister eludes: "
It is not our priority today
".
Since the start of the health crisis, her colleagues in the government considered her too withdrawn, too withdrawn from the discomfort of students, a discomfort worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic and the academic and material difficulties they are facing. ... Here it is in the light for a controversy which the executive would have gone well.
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