High school students across France continued demonstrations on Thursday, marking the 10th day of a nationwide campaign against conditions in the country’s schools. Large protests occurred in multiple cities including Lille, Rennes, Nantes, Lyon, Toulon, and Marseille, with an estimated 25,000 students gathering at Paris’s Place de la Bastille. The interior ministry reported that more than 71,000 protesters participated in Thursday’s demonstrations, though about 95% of high schools remained at least partially open.
The government moved to address the unrest by announcing measures intended to alleviate teacher shortages. Education Minister Édouard Geffray stated that 3,000 substitute teachers would be deployed to approximately 100 high schools with particularly acute staffing problems, with recruitment of several hundred additional teachers authorized. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu indicated the government would seek budget amendments for 2027 to address student concerns, particularly regarding teacher replacements.
Student representatives expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s response. Union leaders stated they had received no concrete measures addressing their demands and vowed the movement would continue. Protesters called for €10bn in urgent investment for schools, citing chronic teacher shortages, excessive school hours, and deteriorating infrastructure as primary concerns.
Police dispersed crowds using teargas, baton charges, and crowd-control rounds as some demonstrators threw objects at heavily armored officers. Incident tallies showed at least 215 teenagers, 89 school staff members, and 761 police officers injured since protests began. The government suspended use of stun grenades following an incident in which a teenager sustained a serious hand injury, though officials disputed characterizations of police response as excessive repression.
Public opinion surveys indicated 72% of French citizens viewed student demands as legitimate, though 55% believed demonstrations should conclude. Unions announced plans for another national day of action supporting the students. The protests have placed political pressure on the government amid budget constraints and presidential election considerations scheduled for later this year.
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