Newly Elected President of France François Hollande's Views on Support for French Science. (May 8, 2012)

Shortly before the first round of the French presidential elections Nature's Declan Butler spoke to the two leading candidates regarding their support for science. As matters have transpired it is François Hollande's views that are of consequence, and from an overall viewpoint Declan Butler writes that M. Hollande "has indicated that he will maintain the thrust of many of the major reforms begun by Sarkozy, but will ensure greater consultation with the research community as he takes them forward. He also promises to create many more science jobs, in particular for young researchers".

Below is the gist of what President Elect Hollande had to say to Nature.

There will be no going back on the principle of autonomy for the universities. However, when responsibilities are transferred from the state to the universities, there needs to be a comparable transfer of resources. Reforms will be discussed within a framework law on higher education and research at the end of 2013, preceded this year by a national consultation.

I will rebalance core lab funding — the permanent support that lets teams think in the medium and long term — with project funding. I will refocus the National Research Agency [the main source of project funding] on national priorities, emerging themes and interdisciplinary projects. I will order a financial audit of the plans launched by the previous government.

When asked how he will maintain research quality across France, M. Hollande replied:

I will not reconsider decisions that have been made but, after the audit, I will demand that unallocated credits be used to correct geographical disparities, to ensure that these do not develop into scientific and university deserts. I will push to replace competition between universities with cooperation.

He went on to say:

I will make higher education and research a priority, because the major problem facing France is to prepare for the future. I will make youth the core of my programme, giving priority to education from early childhood through to university. I will favour basic research, which has been sacrificed these past few years, paying particular attention to the life sciences, where funding is far below the international average, and environmental sciences.

France is lucky to have its large national research organizations alongside the universities. These organizations must recover their role of steering the national research effort, and of supporting research carried out in the universities.

I will create major research programmes on ‘disruptive’ technologies such as electricity storage, the greening of various production sectors and energy efficiency.

I will authorize research on embryonic stem cells to clarify the situation of the 2011 law on bioethics, which maintained a ban on this research while allowing dispensations for particular projects.

And finally, In the past decade, we have fallen from 4^th to 15^th place worldwide in terms of spending on research as a percentage of GDP... France is trailing, and the trust between researchers and political leaders has been broken. My first objective will be to restore that trust.