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Hundreds of thousands of students, teachers and parents are protesting across France over the education system, in a movement unions and student organizers call unprecedented since May 1968. While the immediate triggers are budget and staffing issues, observers point to a deeper crisis of hope among young people.
Protests resumed at schools across France on Thursday as high school students continued to demand higher education budgets and better learning conditions, a day after the prime minister ordered ministers to draft an action plan. Dozens of people, including students, teachers and police, have been injured, with human rights groups accusing security forces of excessive force and authorities reporting thousands of arrests and hundreds of schools closed or damaged.
French secondary students have been protesting for over two weeks against overcrowded classrooms and teacher shortages, with more than 6,100 detained. France spends 5.1 percent of GDP on public education, above the EU average but below Sweden, Iceland and Belgium, amid wider public-sector strikes over a proposed 2027 budget.
Tens of thousands of students and activists have taken to the streets across France, escalating pressure on the government over education policy. Police fired tear gas at demonstrators blockading high schools, with clashes erupting in cities including Strasbourg, Lyon and Rennes. The protests, which began two weeks ago in Paris suburbs, have led to 6,100 arrests and injuries to at least 215 teenagers and 715 police officers.
