Fabrice Kordon, co-president of the Assembly of Laboratory Directors, expressed concern for the struggles faced by colleagues in the fields of humanities and social sciences. Vincent Artero, director of the Laboratory of Chemistry and Biology of Metals, highlighted the challenges of operating without state subsidies.
According to the President and CEO of CNRS, Antoine Petit, mandatory expenses not covered by the government have accumulated to over 500 million euros since October 2024. As a result, immediate budget cuts of 20 million euros have been imposed, with a focus on reducing spending for research activities.
The Ministry of Higher Education and Research does not dispute the budget reductions, indicating a shortfall of 120 million euros from 2024 to 2026. In response, CNRS is forced to redistribute resources and prioritize essential projects, potentially impacting various research areas such as new tire development and battery manufacturing.
Bruno Andreotti from Stand-Up for Science emphasizes that these austerity measures result in a 3% annual decrease in funding since 2024, pushing laboratories to compete for financing in a more challenging landscape.
In this context, Fabrice Kordon metaphorically likened the situation to a ‘madman looking for a key under the lamppost’, criticizing the government’s focus on trendy research topics rather than supporting diverse scientific endeavors.
