Secondary school students in France have begun a new phase of their campaign to improve conditions, aiming to maintain the pace of protests with a new wave of demonstrations planned for Tuesday.
These new actions could be a turning point in the movement, which started in mid-September, while the government hopes it is already subsiding. On Friday, the government noted a sharp decrease in blockades and gatherings near the country's high schools, where most students are aged between 15 and 18.
The Ministry of Education reported that over 96 percent of educational institutions were open on Friday. Authorities are particularly keen to end the student protests, as online activists called for demonstrations next Saturday to protest the cost of living.
For President Emmanuel Macron's administration, this brings back unpleasant memories of the 'Yellow Vest' movement, which began in 2018 due to a planned fuel tax increase and involved mass demonstrations and clashes between police and protesters, shaking the presidency during Macron's first term.
The government continues to tally the damage caused by the school protests. A government source told journalists last week that the cost of damage caused by the demonstrations is 'no less than 30 million euros.'
On Friday, the Ministry of Justice stated that more than 6,800 people had been detained since the start of the protests, 86 percent of whom were minors. Following clashes between some protesters and police, which led to serious injuries to some students—prompting criticism of police tactics—the government suspended the use of flash-bang grenades, which caused one student to lose an arm.
Police are investigating 18 alleged instances of misconduct among staff members. Last week, the government presented specific proposals to address student demands. Education Minister Édouard Geoffroy announced on Thursday evening that about 3,000 temporary teachers would be sent in the coming days to replace absent staff in 114 of the most affected schools.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu promised on Sunday to make changes to the planned 2027 budget to respond to some demands outlined on the government's online platform for collecting student opinions.
However, the student organizations behind the protests are not yet convinced. The Secondary School Students' Union called last week's initial announcements 'crumbs.' They maintain their demand for an additional 10 million euros for investments in the country's high schools.
Nevertheless, 10,000 medical students are beginning to express concern about how any ongoing school blockades might affect exams starting Monday, which will determine their future specialization. They do not want student actions to disrupt such a crucial stage of their education.
Student demonstrations last Thursday mobilized tens of thousands across France: according to the Ministry of the Interior, this was 71,500 people. On Tuesday of the action, nearly 256,000 people participated. Furthermore, a poll conducted by Ipsos-BVA and published on Sunday showed that 54 percent of respondents support secondary school student protests.
They expressed the greatest sympathy for students' complaints about oversized classes and the need to repair the country's aging schools.