“Yes! The cry came out spontaneously at 8 p.m., when the results were announced. Sitting on his sofa, in front of the computer connected to France 2 – he gave up TV 10 years ago – Laurent Kaufmann smiles. He denies being too happy. But the left-wing voter, unionized at the Sgen-CFDT who wanted to “block the far right” by voting for Emmanuel Macron badly hides his relief. The day was a bit special, lived in a certain feverishness. “Moderate concern,” he concedes. ” I am relieved. It’s still a snub, for her, ”launches the National Education framework evoking Marine Le Pen without naming her.
Around him, in his small house, his official accommodation adjoining the REP college (Priority education network) where he has served as principal in Montreuil (Seine-Saint-Denis) for years, there is only the Labrador, the aptly named “Rebel” dog who is partying tonight, pacing in the living room. The master, more serious, definitely doesn’t want to dance. “There is nothing to celebrate. We are living in a period of political crisis” balances Laurent Kaufmann, who is already thinking of “the after”. Besides, his phone has just vibrated for the umpteenth time of the evening. On his childhood friends WhatsApp loop, one of his friends has just written to him: “Phew! We’re back to fighting.” “I’m on the same line,” opines Laurent Kaufmann, suddenly looking serious.
In the first round, Laurent Kaufmann had voted Mélenchon, without hesitation. This Sunday, he did not procrastinate either before giving his ballot to Emmanuel Macron, as in the second round of 2017. At 53, Laurent Kaufmann has always been on the left, like the vast majority of his colleagues, but “everything has not been negative during these five years, ”he concedes.
Admittedly, the college principal comes out “rinsed” from this five-year term marked by two years of Covid. Certainly, he is annoyed by the “com” with Macron sauce, the “contempt” of Minister Blanquer, the “pipe” that the outgoing president still played when talking about education during the campaign. But “the fascists”, he says, will not yet take the Elysée. “But this time, Macron will have to take into account the rise of extremes! There is an elephant in the political landscape and we must not pretend not to see it”.
“During the Covid, we had to feed poor families”
Above all, he expects him to “listen”. “A real Grenelle of education, which brings everyone together, a real inventory of education”, details Laurent Kaufmann. Everything is not to be scratched in his program, he adds. “But for the moment, there are only words, so there is nothing”, launches the one who declares himself in favor of teachers being paid on merit, that they are evaluated “better and more often “. The president has a real “appointment”, he says, for the next five years with the school but also the social and health. “No, I’m not jaded and yes, I have expectations”, sums up the principal before listing some urgent needs such as “occupational doctors, school doctors for students”.
In his profession, which brings together some 870,000 people in France, traditionally few abstentionists, this election will be a milestone. Never have teachers been so numerous, according to a study by Cevipof (political research center of Sciences-po) to be so tempted by abstention in this second round. So tonight, Laurent Kaufmann does not want the conditions of this election to be forgotten. “Around me, it is becoming more radical. Our working conditions are deteriorating. Child care suffers. »
The pandemic has been particularly difficult in the 9-3. “During the Covid, we had to feed poor families in my college, it was the first time. There are too many people and territories that feel forgotten in this country,” he recalls. Suddenly, as if to support these words, the phone vibrates again. Another “buddy”. Laurent Kaufmann reads with a smile the new message that is displayed: “And now, the social war! »