The left-wing parties, united in the New Popular Front, have published the main points of their “legislative contract” ahead of the early legislative elections. The document includes measures related to sports, with a focus on increasing sports participation and funding. The parties aim to increase the budget of the Ministry of Sports to 1% of the state budget, up from the current 0.2%. They also propose a plan to build 10,000 additional sports facilities to address the lack of infrastructure in some areas.
The left-wing parties emphasize the importance of making sports more accessible and affordable, suggesting an increase in the amount of the Pass’Sport to 150 euros and expanding its use to school sports. The Pass’Sport is currently set at 50 euros and targets young people from low-income families aged 6 to 30. However, the uptake of this aid remains low, with only 1.38 million beneficiaries in 2023. The government has acknowledged the challenges faced by the Pass’Sport program and reduced its budget to 85 million euros for 2024.
In addition to increasing sports funding and access, the left-wing parties advocate for strengthening physical education in schools. They propose setting a minimum of four hours of physical education per week throughout schooling and creating a sports association in all primary schools. They criticize the government’s approach to physical education, questioning the effectiveness of mandatory physical activities in primary schools and highlighting the reduction in physical education teaching positions since 2017.
The New Popular Front’s program also includes plans to establish sports health centers nationwide and to reimburse sports on prescription. This measure has been a long-standing demand from health specialists and patient associations. It was almost adopted in the 2023 social security financing bill, focusing on cancer and diabetes patients. However, the government ultimately decided not to implement the reimbursement of sports on prescription for all chronic illnesses, causing disappointment among stakeholders.
Overall, the left-wing parties’ legislative contract aims to enhance sports participation, improve infrastructure, and make sports more affordable and accessible. Their proposals reflect their commitment to promoting sports as a key component of public health and education. Despite some challenges and limitations in the current sports funding and policy landscape, the parties advocate for a comprehensive approach to sports development that addresses the needs of various populations and aims to create a more inclusive and active society.
