French Education Minister asked to resign due to Ibiza holiday

Jean-Michael Blanquer, the French education minister, has landed in hot water after being caught out taking a holiday in Ibiza while the government revealed strict Covid rules for schools. The politician was on the Spanish island one day before schools were due to return, even though it was clear the last-minute nature of the rules would cause upheaval among teachers and families. 

As the minister for education, Blanquer should have been responsible for helping education professionals understand the regulations, so many viewed his actions as irresponsible and unfair. The rules teachers have had to grapple with include protocols to issue more tests.

Reaction in France

The reaction to Blanqueur’s behavior was so strong that teachers went on a major strike that lasted the whole of last week. Now, various groups have called for the minister to resign — including unions and other politicians. There are plans for further strikes, with teachers demanding the government to form a better response to the chaos caused by Covid and the resulting restrictions.

Even the right-wing politician Marine Le Pen has been a critic of Blanqeur, despite not being in favor of Covid restrictions herself. The main issue for many seems to be his flippant behavior and hypocrisy.

Apology and future

So far, there haven’t been any signs that Blanqeur intends to yield to the calls for him to resign. He’s issued an apology, in which he conceded that his actions were symbolic in the worst way possible, but he’s defended himself by saying that he hasn’t broken the law. It’s also emerged that Blanquer was working remotely from Ibiza and didn’t neglect his duties, which he is also attempting to use as a defense. 

However, the consensus seems to be that the law is less important than the lack of professionalism and legitimacy. Considering Macron faces a presidential election shortly and the current President champions the cause of education, Blanqeur continuing his position could threaten the entire campaign.

Sarah Bromley

Sarah is a a journalist at Parliament Magazine specializing in UK and European news. She is also full-time freelance writer specializing in business and finance and has worked with a range of clients, from growth marketing agencies to cryptocurrency platforms. She previously studied Economics with Spanish Bsc at the University of Birmingham.