Protests are continuing in France, following a demonstration where more than 250,000 people took to the streets to demand education reforms. These demonstrations began in mid-September, driven by frustrations over classroom sizes and poor building conditions. Nearly 500 people were arrested on Tuesday, bringing the total number of arrests to over 6,000 since the protests began.
Demonstrators, including high school students, have expressed dissatisfaction with the state of national education, citing issues such as open roofs, lack of heating, and broken desks in schools. A student stated, "The building, the school and the system, we want to change."
The French government has claimed that some protests have been influenced by outside groups, which has led to urban violence. Several hundred teenagers have reportedly been injured, prompting authorities to suspend the use of stun grenades.
France has the largest average class sizes in Europe, with approximately 25 students per class in public schools for ages 11 to 15. In response to the protests, the government has promised to implement visible changes to the education system. French Education Minister Edouard Geffray stated, "We must do more and better, notably for high schools," and mentioned initiatives to address class cancellations by replacing absent teachers. However, he noted that this requires substantial investment, which is challenging given that French public debt reached roughly $4 trillion in June, amounting to 119 percent of GDP, the highest level since 1946.
Genevieve Pons, President of the Europe Jacques Delors think tank, commented on the difficulties the government faces due to rising oil prices and shrinking resources. She emphasized the need for lawmakers to find solutions as trade unions joined the protests in solidarity with students, increasing pressure on the government ahead of the upcoming presidential elections. Pons also highlighted the need for a reevaluation of the situation in France, questioning why the country with the highest taxes also struggles with public service issues.
International attention has been drawn to the protests, with former President Trump commenting on social media that the protests were driven by mass migration rather than education issues. In response, the French foreign minister stated that France will determine its own narrative during this challenging period in its history.
This report was produced by PBS NewsHour, with contributions from Associated Press journalists Nicolas Garriga, Oleg Cetinic, John Leicester, Nicole Winfield, and Sylvie Corbet.