Mister President,
The health crisis is disrupting the lives of our fellow citizens.
From Friday, France will relive this internal confinement that we thought was definitely forgotten.
But there is a flame that does not go out despite the terrible times we are going through, that of culture, embodied by these small local shops that are independent bookstores.
When the curfew was instituted, I was one of those who had pleaded for theaters and cinemas to continue to welcome their audiences in the evening because they respected health and distancing measures.
It was not heard.
So do not make a decision with serious consequences for books and bookstores!
Forced to remain closed during the first confinement, they have since been able to adapt to welcome their customers under extremely rigorous sanitary conditions.
Authors, publishing houses and booksellers have regained hope of reviving cultural life at the same time as economic and social life.
Do not abandon them, Mr. President!
Without this eminently precious network of 3,200 bookstores, France would not be a country that shines, disseminates knowledge, promotes intelligence and invites debate.
As the bad wind of obscurantism and new totalitarian ideologies blows, let us keep in mind that they are a place where the values of moderation, benevolence, tolerance and collective intelligence live.
Obviously, essential businesses, bookstores are an invaluable gem that we must preserve.
Mr. President, leave the doors of our bookstores open!
List of signatories: Laure DARCOS, Senator of Essonne, Vice-president of the culture committee, and Senators Laurent LAFON, President of the culture committee, Bruno RETAILLEAU, Jean-Michel ARNAUD, Serge BABARY, Philippe BAS , Bruno BELIN, Martine BERTHET, Annick BILLON, Christine BONFANTI-DOSSAT, François BONNEAU, Alexandra BORCHIO FONTIMP, Gilbert BOUCHET, Céline BOULAY-ESPÉRONNIER, Max BRISSON, Christian CAMBON, Jean-Noël CARDOUX, Mathieu DARNAUD, Vincent DELAHAYE, Yves DÉTRAIGNE, Thomas DOSSUS, Sabine DREXLER, Catherine DUMAS, Françoise DUMONT, Dominique ESTROSI-SASSONE, Joëlle GARRIAUD-MAYLAM, Françoise GATEL, Frédérique GERBAUD, Jocelyne GUIDEZ, Olivier HENNO, Jean-Michel HOULLEGATTE, Alain HOUPERT, Annick JACERQUEPHET, Christian , Marc LAMÉNIE, Sonia de LA PROVÔTÉ, Michel LAUGIER, Daniel LAURENT, Christine LAVARDE, Antoine LEFEVRE, Ronan LE GLEUT, Stéphane LE RUDULIER, Pierre-Antoine LEVI, Jean-François LONGEOT, Vivette LOPEZ, Monique de MA RCO, Didier MARIE, Pierre MÉDEVIELLE, Franck MENONVILLE, Marie MERCIER, Brigitte MICOULEAU, Catherine MORIN-DESAILLY, Laurence MULLER-BRONN, Louis-Jean de NICOLAŸ, Olivier PACCAUD, Cyril PELLEVAT, Robert del PICCHIA, Stéphane PIEDNOIR, Rémy POINTEREAU, Sophie POINTEREAU PRIMAS, Hugues SAURY, Michel SAVIN, Sylvie ROBERT, René-Paul SAVARY, Claudine THOMAS, Anne VENTALON, Dany WATTEBLED.