Student protests against poor school conditions and teacher shortages entered their fourth week with massive nationwide demonstrations. Tens of thousands marched in cities from Caen to Marseille, with police estimating 250,000 participants and unions claiming nearly 500,000. Nearly 900 schools were closed Tuesday, while student unions claimed 1,800, disrupting education for hundreds of thousands.
Hundreds have been injured and over 5,000 arrested, mostly minors, as clashes with riot police escalated. The government has condemned violence but acknowledged some student demands as legitimate. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu ordered schools to suspend classes Thursday and Friday to allow principal-student dialogue.
Protesters cite crumbling infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms, and chronic understaffing. The movement has grown into a broader expression of discontent ahead of next year's presidential elections, with unions blaming a decade of Emmanuel Macron's policies for the system's decline.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing