General context

The preparation of Finance act 2009 intervenes in a context marked by a double movement:

• A context of economic recession which compels the public decision-makers and lets indicate difficult budgetary choices.
• A construction site of modernisation of the public policies declared objective of which is to return more efficient the allocation of public funds and to develop a culture of result.

The conjunction of these two tendencies becomes a reality by a disengagement of the State in the implementation of a national policy towards youth and popular education. Therefore, it is many choices about which it is. And force is to note that the President of the Republic and the Government leave in the field their ambition and their will.

Budgetary analysis

The analysis of the bill of finances 2008 which we offer concerns the mission Sports, Youth and Community life , with which perimetre covers the support of policies in favour of youth and of popular education. Our analysis leans on a comparative reading of credits opened in 2008 and credits asked for 2009.

The presentation of the budget 2009 for mission Sports, Youth and Community life emphasises a progress of + 0.38 % in comparison with 2008, to attain 787 M .

Both plans of action are treated in a differential way. Indeed, while the "Sports " programme advances of + 6 % (in 220.5 M ), programs it Youth and Community life sudden as for him a fall in the order of 11.2 %, to settle in 119 M .

Within the programme Youth and Community life , no action is spared by these strong budget restrictions.

• Action 1 Development of the community life loses 13.6 % (to settle in 15.8 M ). More precisely, credits allocated in the training of the volunteers as the Council of the Development of the Community life (CDVA) remain unsatisfactory (+ 0 %, at the level of 8.5 M ) in view of needs expressed by about 12 million volunteers who give of their time and of their energy in the service of general interest. In a field related, the reduction of 25 % envelopes allocated in associative voluntary service can only surprise us and worry us at a time of the implementation of a civic service.

• Action 2 Promotion of actions in favour of youth subsides of about 15.1 % (to settle in 50 M ). Within this action, devices relating to information, to participation and to access of the young people to quality leisures see their widely amputated credits.

• Action 3 Promotion of actions in favour of popular education lowers of - 6.2 % (to settle in 44.2 M ). Associations and federations of the sector JEP will pay a heavy tribute of this significant disengagement of the State.

• Action 5 Promotion of animation and of associative supervision lowers of - 6.7 % (to settle in 9.1 M ). This reduction appears paradoxical as much as the associative field is one of the sectors the most creative of jobs and of activities and that it is confronted with important needs of training.

Political analysis

The analysis of the aeration of the budget Youth and Community life lets appear an explicit political will which calls into question the support of the State of the policies of youth and of popular education. Behind what the ministry introduces as a supported effort a massive disengagement of the State takes shape which the ministry tries to make up so-so by the interdepartmental character of public policies orientated to youth and by the major role played by regions with a measure of autonomy in the behaviour of this policies. This speech is not to appease our concerns, being heard that finance act 2009 act a significant fall of allocation in regions with a measure of autonomy and refocusing of efforts of the different ministries on the heart of job.

Besides, the directions of finance act 2009 translate the will of the ministry to make the choice of a near intervention in favour of the riding associations [which] answer real needs of the population. We want here to put principle into perspective of small beautiful simple percentage and to remind of the essential role of the heads of network which answer needs, it, expressed by these riding associations in terms of accompaniment, of strategical and methodological support, of training of the volunteers and activists, of strengthening of structure, etc.

With this finance act, it is a whole section of the community life that finds itself threatened and weakened; it is thousands of volunteers and professionals that see the utility of their actions questioned; it is millions of children, young people and adults that will not be able to be any more accompanied in their educational and cultural activities; finally an adjournment of given word, President of the Republic while having made the commitment to support in a complete way the associations of youth and of popular education for the remarkable work which they accomplish.

It is high time to conciliate word with acts, and ambition with means.