It has been almost five years since the 364 notebooks of grievances blackened by the “yellow vests” have been gathering dust on the shelves of the Gironde departmental archives. Challenged by unwavering local “yellow vests”, the department decided to finance the careful examination of these approximately 55,000 contributions, via a Cifre thesis (industrial agreements for training through research). And it’s Samuel Nogueradoctoral student in political science, who, following a competition, inherited this extensive work.
Its mission, undertaken since November 2022 under the direction of Magali Della Sudda and Nicolas Patin, is to identify and analyze the notebooks of grievances and free expressions launched during the “yellow vests” movement but also by the association of rural mayors of France and the great national debate. “I took over the work of a research collective, bringing together citizens, “yellow vests” and academics who had started before the health crisis,” explains Samuel Noguera, author of research dissertations on the “yellow vest” movement. yellow vests” in Montpellier.
“At least someone reads the notebooks”
The political science student is aware of the pressure: “we are still in a tense political sequence since 2018. We see that the movement against pensions at the start of the year was massive. » And, according to him, the grievances remain current, even if some can make a smile (yellow) when we remember that the price of gasoline then at 1.5 euros per liter caused a reaction, when it is at 2 euros Today.
“Whether it is through the great national debate, the citizens’ convention for the climate or that for the end of life, people play the game of expression but then there is no transcription in public action, this is part of the general fed up, analyzes Samuel Noguera. The “yellow vests” have high expectations because they have the impression that we are finally interested in a word that was very costly to express. At least someone reads the notebooks. »
Demands on purchasing power, inequalities and democracy
Many of the demands are already known: those relating to purchasing power, inequalities between territories, linked in particular to the isolation of rural sectors. Environmental justice is also one of the emerging concerns. In Gironde, the dangerousness of pesticides is on the agenda, particularly for those who apply them and those who live near the spreading areas. “Basically, we know what’s in these notebooks,” confirms the doctoral student. It is not a surprise for the government to have demands on pensions, the CSG, the carbon tax, or democratic renewal, but this needs to be posed by public research and disseminated through mediation. scientist. »
Funder, the Gironde department intends to echo, to the height of its skills, what will emerge from the doctoral student’s work at the end of these four years of analysis. “We want to use this research to enrich departmental policies,” assures Céline Goeury, departmental advisor for the canton of Créon and delegate to the president on citizenship and secularism. On themes such as mobility in rural areas or support for local businesses, the community is committed to acting to its extent. In any case, she does not intend to leave these expressions “without consideration” which, five years later, remain a dead letter.