France, Jan. 27 -- Researchers and students from France's National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) organised protests on Monday, calling for its president to step down. They are concerned that huge budget cuts and a new funding strategy will penalise some sectors more than others.

Tensions are rising among the 30,000 staff members at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) following the announcement in mid-December to create "Key Labs".

The Rogue ESRcollective behind the Paris-based protest argues that management is planning to prioritise human and financial resources for a select group of leading laboratories, known as "Key Labs," at the expense of others.

The collective is now calling for the resignation of th...