Student protests over crumbling schools in France spark violence and political fight
Since late last month, hundreds of thousands of lycée students in France have protested over staff shortages and run-down school buildings. Despite government promises, the protests continue and teachers have joined in.
Hundreds of thousands of pupils across France have been protesting since the end of last month over staff shortages and decaying facilities in lycées, the secondary schools attended by 15- to 18-year-olds. The demonstrations, which have at times turned violent, come as the country approaches a presidential election and have become a flashpoint in its polarised politics.
How it began
The unrest started at the Lycée Antoine-de-Saint-Exupéry in Créteil, a deprived suburb of Paris. Videos spread on social media showing rats in school corridors, broken toilets, holes in walls and mouldy ceilings. Students also complain about long school days, overcrowded classes and an unpopular university admissions system. Teacher Marine Monins says lessons often start at 8am and end as late as 6pm, with classes of around 35 pupils.
On Tuesday the government said 250,000 people marched, while trade unions put the figure nearer half a million. On Thursday the government promised 3,000 extra supply teachers, and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said a plan would be unveiled by the end of October. Students have largely greeted the pledges with scepticism.
Arrests and injuries
According to the interior ministry, almost 7,000 people have been detained, more than 85% of them children, and over 700 police officers have been injured in three weeks. Rights groups and unions accuse police of heavy-handed tactics against minors; at least 200 pupils and dozens of teachers have been hurt. In Lens, a 15-year-old boy lost his hand, and accounts of how it happened differ. Police have since been banned from using stun grenades at school protests.
Political fallout
Marine Le Pen of the hard-right National Rally, the frontrunner for the 2027 presidential race, has condemned damage to schools and suggested the parents of vandals should pay for repairs. Hard-left veteran Jean-Luc Mélenchon supports the movement, comparing it with the 1968 unrest. The government's task is complicated by public finances: annual debt servicing costs now exceed the core state education budget, and the 2027 draft budget offers a 1.7% rise in education spending.
