Protesters question Macron's citizen consultations

Students and other protesters have criticized the citizen consultations launched by President Emmanuel Macron, calling them a "big joke" and expressing skepticism about their impact. The initiative, aimed at gathering input on education policies, was launched in response to widespread student protests but has faced criticism over past government commitments.

Past initiatives left citizens disillusioned

Skepticism about the new consultation stems from previous government efforts, such as the Yellow Vests' grievance books and the Citizen Climate Convention. These initiatives left many participants questioning whether their input had any real influence or led to meaningful change.

Martine's experience with past consultations

In 2018, Martine, a 71-year-old retired public servant, submitted grievances to the Élysée as part of the "national big debate." She later retrieved her text from the mayor of Brétigny-sur-Orge, who claimed he had personally handed it to Macron. Martine expressed frustration, stating that in eight years, nothing had changed and the situation had worsened.

Low follow-through on citizen contributions

The "open mayors" initiative in 2018 collected about 225,000 contributions through grievance books in nearly 17,000 communes. The "national big debate" later collected nearly two million online contributions, which Macron pledged to consider. However, many of these contributions remained inaccessible and unaddressed, according to local officials.

Documentary filmmaker highlights broken promises

Hélène Desplanques, a filmmaker who documented the grievance process in a 2014 documentary titled Doléances, expressed frustration with the lack of follow-through on citizen contributions. She argued that the repeated failure to honor commitments damages democracy, as people initially believe in the process but are later disillusioned.

Critics call new consultation a "big joke"

Marie Pochon, an elected ecologist in the Drôme, criticized the new student consultation as a "big joke," noting that unlike previous initiatives, there was no explicit promise to consider the input. She argued that citizen contributions "gather dust," and that public authorities no longer recognize legitimate channels of expression.

Citizen Climate Convention participants feel ignored

Guy, a 67-year-old retiree who participated in the Citizen Climate Convention in 2019, expressed disappointment, stating that the proposals made by the group were largely ignored. He cited the lack of action on issues like pesticides and chemical fertilizers and the continued dismantling of environmental laws despite public petitions.

Student consultation receives 100,000 contributions

The student consultation platform, titled "Students, you have a voice," received nearly 100,000 contributions before closing on October 23. The government announced a "national summary" by the end of the month. Nour, a 16-year-old student, submitted her contribution, reiterating demands for better classroom conditions, more teachers, and equity in school funding. Despite her participation, she feared her input would "end up in the archives," like previous efforts.