Culture Minister’s goals amid budget shortages

Culture budget, reform of public audiovisual, major projects, or even restoration of heritage, Rachida Dati will have to tackle burning issues in a tense period for public finances.

This is the most urgent task awaiting the minister, while the Barnier government must complete, in theory by October 1, its draft budget and is desperately seeking to make savings.

Shortly after her appointment in January 2024, Rachida Dati suffered a first setback when she saw the Culture budget cut by 204 million euros, out of a total of around 4.4 billion, after five years of increases. The use of the ministry’s reserves had helped to offset the impact of these cuts in the regions, but some national establishments, including the Paris Opera (which has to make do with 6 million euros less), had to tighten their belts.

The first indications for 2025 do not predict an improvement. According to the spending ceilings set by the government, the Culture budget would remain stable next year in absolute terms but would decrease in real terms due to inflation. Despite the budgetary restrictions, the €98 million plan over three years announced by Rachida Dati in July to promote access to culture in rural areas is being maintained, according to the minister’s entourage. which means that savings will have to be found elsewhere.

• Public broadcasting reform on long pause

Led by the minister, the project of a merger of France Télévisions, Radio France, France Médias Monde (RFI, France 24) and the National Audiovisual Institute (INA) was on track in the spring. But it is no longer the priority, they consider rue de Valois. Rachida Dati plans consultations to consider the next steps.

She is aware of this: the urgent need is for sustainable funding of public broadcasting that ensures its independence, with the end of 2024 deadline for passing a bill fast approaching. This is to avoid Parliament having to vote on an envelope every year. For the media, the minister has set herself another objective: to follow up on the vast États généraux de l’information, which were launched a year ago by Emmanuel Macron and whose conclusions were delivered at the beginning of September. Media education, the fight against foreign interference and actions at European level against the major platforms are on the menu.

• Revisiting the Culture Pass

A flagship measure of Emmanuel Macron’s cultural policy, the Culture Pass could be revised. Launched in 2019-2020, this mechanism, which notably offers an individual credit of 300 euros over two years to 18-year-olds, has benefited more than 3.4 million people since its generalization in 2021.

But its effectiveness is questionable. In a July report, the General Inspectorate of Cultural Affairs noted the capacity « uncertain » of the device to « transform practices » and to combat inequalities in access to culture. The Igac calls for reform of the Pass, which has notably caused manga sales to explode.

Rachida Dati has broadened the scope of this system, particularly to MJC, but must deal with its very high cost (260 million euros per year) and wants to ensure, according to those around her, that the funds really help to diversify access to culture.

• Restitution of cultural property, nominations

A promise made by Emmanuel Macron in 2017, the restitution of cultural property plundered during colonization, particularly in Africa, must be put to music by Rachida Dati. While the major museums – Quai Branly, National Museum of Natural History, etc. – have set about identifying in their collections what could be returned, the bill on the restitution of works of art has come to a standstill. Its discussion in Parliament has been postponed until the fall of 2024, and the debates promise to be lively.

She will also have to appoint a new person to head the National Center for Cinema and the Animated Image (CNC), which turns over 770 million euros per year and whose presidency has been vacant since the departure of Dominique Boutonnat, convicted of sexual assault. The presidents of a host of museums, including the Picasso National Museum, will also be at the end of their terms at the end of 2024 and in 2025.

Heritage

The Minister of Culture and Communication is now also the Minister of Heritage. Aside from supporting the reopening of Notre Dame de Paris in December, Rachida Dati will have to decide on priorities. Many major museums, such as the Louvre, Orsay or the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, are calling for work to be done to bring them up to standard; and the President of the Republic has announced the opening of a Notre Dame museum, a house of press drawings or a house of African worlds. Her entourage indicates that the ministry is working to bring out “a new heritage model to save religious buildings in danger“As for the minister, she indicated on X that she would exchange “from this week, with cultural stakeholders in order to establish an ambitious roadmap for Culture.”