Yellow Vest Protest Documents From Six Years Ago Remain Relevant: Revealed
Unveiling the Great Debate Notebooks:
Six years after the "yellow vests" crisis sparked the creation of the "Great Debate" notebooks, these invaluable documents are now available for all. Following a decree published in the Official Journal on April 30th, the veil has been lifted, giving access to the writings produced during 2019's Great Debate.
The Controversial Claim: Truth or Nonsense? Marine Le Pen, a notable political figure, has suggested that the Great Debate notebooks have gone unused. However, 19,000 notebooks were collected from across France during that time. Up until now, this treasure trove of shared grievances was largely unexplored by researchers.
This newfound access is the result of determination from several collectives who aimed to democratize these documents. After adopting a resolution in the National Assembly last March, they were finally successful, and this week saw the official announcement:
"It's about bloody time! Six years after the yellow vests movement and the Great Debate, this news is long overdue." Fabrice Dalongeville, a small-town mayor from the Oise department, even embarked on a nationwide tour of departmental archives to campaign for their accessibility.
"Politicians misunderstand the priorities of the French"
"A significant portion of the grievances were bypassed, so appeals had to be made to the prefecture, which then had to be forwarded to the ministry. This process could take a considerable amount of time. Now, at least, researchers, journalists, citizens— everyone— will have the chance to access their departmental collection," Fabrice Dalongeville exclaims.
This move is crucial, according to the mayor of Auger Saint-Vincent, as it will shed light on the concerns of the French: "The issues written about six years ago are still incredibly relevant today! We'll realize that the priorities of the French are not aligned with those of politicians on a daily basis. It's about living a decent life, accessing public services, the geography of healthcare, having a doctor nearby, the challenges of ecological transition... These elements are all crucial. It's not about immigration or safety, at least not in terms of priority!"
This is only the first step, as some elected officials are also advocating for the digitization of all handwritten notebooks to gain a complete understanding of their impact. Furthermore, President Macron himself expressed his support for citizens being able to consult these notebooks online from home by 2026. A steering committee is expected to address this issue in the coming weeks.
- The Great Debate notebooks, long unexplored by researchers, are now accessible to everyone, showcasing six years of shared grievances from French citizens.
- Fabrice Dalongeville, the small-town mayor from the Oise department, has emphasized that the release of these debates will demonstrate a misalignment between the priorities of French citizens and those of politicians.
- Dalongeville also highlighted the lengthy process of addressing grievances, which involved sending appeals to the prefecture and forwarding them to the ministry in the past.
- In the coming weeks, a steering committee is expected to discuss the digitization of the handwritten notebooks for a more comprehensive understanding of their impact, as some elected officials advocate for this move. President Macron has also expressed his support for citizens to consult the notebooks online by 2026.
