Public meeting in Brest on defense: facing student unions that call for demonstration, deputy Mélanie Thomin reacts

Organizer of a public meeting entitled “The Finistère facing war: bringing citizens closer to defense issues in the era of new conflicts”, which will take place this Monday, May 18, 2026 in Brest, at the University of Western Brittany (UBO), Deputy Mélanie Thomin responded to the statements of three student unions (Ferc Sup CGT UBO, Sud Education, and the Pirate Union) who are calling for a demonstration on that day. “The objective of this meeting-debate is to carry out propaganda to enlist the youth in national defense and the army,” they believe.

“Opening a citizen debate on a serious subject”

This is not the view of the socialist elected representative of the sixth constituency of Finistère (Châteaulin-Carhaix): “This meeting is not organized with the aim of government communication or ‘war propaganda’. It also does not aim to ‘enlist’ the youth. On the contrary, this meeting proposes to open a citizen debate on a serious subject: how should our Republic rethink today the link between the Nation and its armies, in a disrupted international context?”

“The choice of holding a meeting at UBO is fully assumed. Organizing this meeting in a public university, in the heart of a student and maritime city like Brest, allows the voice of young people, students, and the academic world to be integrated into these debates that concern the whole society. Finistère is also a strategic territory for defense, scientific research, maritime industry, and military presence. We are directly concerned by these issues. Therefore, it is legitimate for these debates to take place here, respecting the pluralism of opinions.”

“A meeting proposed in advance to the unions”

“I refuse the idea that youth should be kept away from major national issues. On the contrary, our collective responsibility is to open up spaces for discussion to allow citizens to inform themselves and form their opinions freely. Convinced that we can approach these topics in a republican, constructive, and peaceful spirit, I will propose, ahead of this public meeting, to receive student organizations that wish to do so.”