French scientists were meeting in Paris this week to decide whether to go through with their threat to resign all management duties. The ultimatum hinged on the government taking immediate and significant steps to boost French research. But as Nature went to press, the movement's leaders remained adamant that many researchers would quit.

The mass resignation would be the culmination of a bitter winter of protests by researchers in government laboratories and universities. They say that President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin have failed to keep funding promises, or to consult with them about a strategy paper that is being prepared on the future of French research.

The resignation pledge was instigated by a grass-roots body called Save Research (see Nature 427, 276; 200410.1038/427276a), which has so far attracted some 66,000 signatures. If implemented, it could quickly paralyse the laboratory system: lab heads, for example, are legally responsible for security, so their departure could mean that labs will be unable to open their doors. It may also become impossible for staff to order supplies or get permission to travel.

In the run up to this week's meeting, the government announced concessions to head off the revolt, including an offer of a multi-year funding plan for research, but these have so far been rejected by the protesters (see page 105). On 5 March, Raffarin and science minister Claudie Haigneré discussed the crisis with Étienne-Émile Baulieu and Édouard BrÉzin, the president and vice-president, respectively, of the French Academy of Sciences.

Baulieu and Brézin have offered to mediate between the government and the protesters. They proposed the creation of an independent high-level committee, including members of Save Research, to ensure scientific participation in the strategy paper, plans for which were announced at the start of the year by Chirac. Raffarin accepted the idea, says Brézin.

The promise of a funding plan for science would usually hearten researchers, Brézin notes, but not in the current climate. “There is a crisis of confidence in the government,” he says.

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