Too Cool for the Climate: Is Wanting A/C Now Far-Right?
1st July 2025
The heatwave sweeping across Europe is expected to reach France on Tuesday, July 1st, with temperatures in some regions expected to exceed 40°C (104°F). In Paris, the thermometer has already reached 38°C (100°F), which is particularly high for this time of year. How can we combat the heatwave? Air conditioning, which is struggling to gain ground in France, is becoming a political issue: the Right is calling for it, while leftist greens condemn it.
Faced with the heat, mayors across the country have taken the inevitable decision to close classrooms and sometimes entire schools. In some poorly constructed school buildings, which are not maintained due to a lack of funds, the temperature had already exceeded 30°C (86°F) in the early morning; it is impossible to teach properly in these conditions, especially with young children.
But not everyone is happy with these closures. Élisabeth Borne, former prime minister and now minister of national education, has strongly criticised the mayor of the Tours metropolitan area for closing schools, which she considers excessive and politically motivated. The mayor of Tours, outraged by the attitude of politicians who work in air-conditioned offices in Paris, cordially invited Borne to hold the cabinet meeting in a classroom so she could see the situation for herself.