High school blockades are set to resume across France on Monday as student unions dismiss government concessions as insufficient to address the ongoing education crisis. The announcement follows a weekend of massive demonstrations that saw hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets for a third consecutive weekend.
Pierre Sourzat, head of the “Lycéens!” student group, stated Sunday that actions would begin immediately as students return from a two-week holiday. “It will be more significant from Tuesday, but we know that some schools will be blocked as early as tomorrow,” Sourzat told a broadcasting network, adding that his organization supports all students participating in the demonstrations.
The protest movement, which grew out of weeks of student demonstrations against deteriorating learning conditions, soaring living costs, and educational inequality, has expanded into a broader societal issue. On Saturday, demonstrators marched in cities across the nation, joined by both high school and university students.
In response to the unrest, the government announced a series of measures last Monday aimed at satisfying student demands. These proposals included replacing the controversial university admissions platform and introducing loans for school renovations. However, student representatives quickly rejected the package as inadequate.
Sabrine Kharbach, spokeswoman for the Union Etudiante, announced that university and high school blockades would also take place on Tuesday and Thursday. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron called for a calm return to classes, asserting that young protesters have been heard.
Sourzat rejected the president’s assessment, calling the government’s initiatives “smoke and mirrors” and arguing that officials failed to listen to student grievances. He pointed out that the proposed overhaul of the university admissions platform—frequently criticized for a lack of transparency—does not solve the underlying shortage of higher education places.
Student leaders also criticized plans to reduce class sizes, noting that the measure is limited to 10th-grade classrooms rather than extending across all year groups as requested.
Financial constraints further complicate the political standoff. With France operating as the eurozone’s second-largest economy while facing intense pressure to curb public debt, the administration possesses limited fiscal room to offer additional spending concessions to appease the protesters.
