Zemmour in a school, “that raises questions”
The revelations of The essential on the pro-Zemmour posters pasted without authorization in the corridors of the European School of Mamer, last week, have invited themselves into the Luxembourg political debate. On Tuesday, CSV MP Diane Adehm agreed to an oral question to the Minister of National Education Claude Meisch in the Chamber of Deputies. Used as a starting point, the “case” of the European School raises a broader questioning: can politics be invited to school?
“I would have asked the same question if it had concerned another French or other candidate. But the fact that it is Mr. Zemmour is, in addition, subject to discussion”, recognized the elected official with The essential. The French presidential candidate Eric Zemmour is the subject of strong criticism from our neighbors because of his speeches considered particularly vehement towards immigration and Islam. The polemicist has already been convicted in court for his statements and claims to be a victim of “crime of opinion”.
“The guarantee of neutrality of the school and the teachers”
Asked by The essential on the subject, Minister Claude Meisch did not want to comment on the content of the speech of the far-right candidate. Was he surprised to see this politician promoted by students in Luxembourg? “A lot of things no longer surprise me, but it was a private initiative and the management had the posters removed”, recalled the minister, while specifying that the European Commission was more competent than the Luxembourg government to discuss this specific case.
Regarding the debate on the place of politics in schools, the Minister stressed the importance of “education for citizenship and politics” while recalling “the guarantee of neutrality of schools and teachers”. . Considering these principles, it is “excluded that posters with the effigy of Luxembourg or European candidates in various elections” are on the school grounds.
A point of agreement with the Christian-Social MP who insists that these campaign posters “have nothing to do in a school”, recalling that electoral deadlines are applied in Luxembourg in 2023, therefore after the presidential election in France.
(Thomas Holzer/The Essential)