Frédérique Vidal, Minister of Higher Education and Research, February 23, 2021. -

AFP

Deeming the single-sex racialized meetings organized by the Unef "unacceptable", the Minister of Higher Education, Frédérique Vidal, asked the student union on Wednesday to "clarify its positions and its values".

The left-wing union is stuck in a controversy linked to the occasional organization of these meetings, which divide within the political class.

Meetings contrary to "the fight against racism and anti-Semitism"

These "meetings are unacceptable and I condemn them," said Frédérique Vidal during questions to the government in the Senate.

They "betray", according to her, "the fundamental values ​​of our Republic", values ​​long defended by "the UNEF itself, like universalism".

Regretting that "a part of the UNEF seems to be moving away from it", she judged that these meetings are "contrary to the very objective which they claim to defend such as the fight against racism and anti-Semitism".

While several right-wing and far-right elected officials demanded the dissolution of the student organization, the minister deemed it "easy to appeal to the law".

But "the ground on which we must place ourselves is that of values".

"We must ask the UNEF to clarify its positions and its values," she added.

"It is the students who judge this and they will do so in particular at the ballot box," continued Frédérique Vidal.

In 2016, the UNEF had lost its place as the first student union in favor of the FAGE.

Politics

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  • Frederique Vidal

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