Paris (France) (AFP) – “Which country do we live in if we are incapable of celebrating our collective memory?” : the new interim government spokesperson, Mathieu Lefèvre, defended on Tuesday the commemoration at school of the Armistice of November 11, 1918, at the origin of a controversy in the teaching world.

Published on: 10/11/2026 - 10:38

A circular published at the beginning of July establishes an annual ceremony "of tribute to all those who died for France" for students from CM1 to final year around November 11, in which elected officials or soldiers could participate.

Unions have denounced a “militarization” of schools and a risk of political exploitation a few months before the presidential election.

“No, but it’s scandalous,” reacted Tuesday on LCI the Minister for Ecological Transition Mathieu Lefèvre, who is temporarily replacing Maud Bregeon, who is on maternity leave, as spokesperson.

“November 11 is the commemoration of the dead for France, of people who gave their lives for our freedom,” he said.

The spokesperson stressed that this day also honored the students who had "assembled at Place de l'Etoile to fight against Nazism in an absolutely extraordinary heroic gesture" on November 11, 1940.

“What country do we live in if we are incapable of celebrating our collective memory, which is a great memory?” continued Mathieu Lefèvre. “We must obviously commemorate November 11.”

This commemoration must take place within the premises of the establishments and be based on texts, songs or work prepared in progress, before a time of contemplation, according to the guide posted online by the ministry.

The fact that soldiers or elected officials can participate in the ceremony constitutes one of the points of tension.

The leading middle and high school union, the Snes-FSU said it saw an attempt to “recruit” young people and a “device promoting war”.

The CGT Educ'action recalled that young people are already participating "freely" in the ceremonies (of November 11) in their municipality.

“In fact, elected officials from the center to the extreme right are already seeking to invite themselves to these ceremonies for the purposes of political display” as the presidential election approaches, estimated the Sud Education union, fearing “a risk of exploitation”.

© 2026 AFP

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