Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is ending the National Universal Service.
In a significant move, the French government has announced plans to transform and potentially eliminate the Universal National Service (SNU), a programme that was championed by President Emmanuel Macron during his 2017 presidential campaign.
The SNU, established in 2019, was intended to provide a mandatory service for French youth, aimed at fostering civic engagement and promoting social cohesion. However, the SNU has faced numerous challenges and criticism since its inception.
One of the major points of contention has been the high cost of the SNU, leading to budgetary restrictions and a gradual decrease in funding. Criticism was widespread, particularly from the Education sector, with numerous incidents during some SNU internships further damaging its image.
Last year, President Macron announced an upcoming overhaul of the universal national service, and the recent decision by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to eliminate one of the delegations managing the SNU marks a significant step towards this transformation.
The press release from Matignon initiates the "suppression of the delegation in a context of phasing out the SNU". The executive's intention is to bury the SNU, sparking much debate. This is the first time this expression has been used for the SNU.
The SNU never gained significant participation from young people aged 15 to 17, and the number of volunteers for the SNU never reached its targets. The Court of Auditors issued a critical report on the SNU last year, further fuelling the calls for change.
In a bid to address these issues, the SNU is being transformed into a "citizen engagement pathway", although no details about this new initiative have been provided as yet.
Meanwhile, the dissolution of the National Assembly last year and budgetary restrictions have also contributed to the SNU's demise. To oversee this transformation, Prime Minister Lecornu has appointed a "task force for the transformation of the public service" to dismantle public structures, including the Delegation of the General National Service.
In a surprising twist, the Prime Minister also announced the upcoming creation of the voluntary military service, intended for French people over 18. However, no further details have been provided about this new service.
Emmanuel Macron had wished to generalize the SNU by 2026, but it remains to be seen how these changes will impact the future of national service in France. On September 17, 2022, the National Assembly recommended the outright suppression of the SNU, indicating a strong political will to move away from the current model.
As the SNU undergoes transformation and potentially faces elimination, the French government and the public alike will be closely watching the developments to understand the future of national service in France.
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