France on Edge: Government Faces Tough Test

France is entering a turbulent political and social autumn as protests, which began in high schools and have since spread to other sectors, intensify. The government faces mounting financial and political pressures as the country approaches next year’s presidential elections.

The current wave of high school student protests started in the Paris region in September, sparked by complaints over teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating school buildings, and long school hours. The demonstrations quickly spread to several other French cities. As the protests entered their third week, the issue became a new test of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s government’s ability to contain social unrest.

The protests peaked on October 6, with large demonstrations across France. The Interior Ministry estimated the number of participants at around 266,000, while protest organizers raised the figure to approximately 450,000, a discrepancy reflecting the broad scope of public mobilization. Some marches saw clashes and acts of violence, particularly in Paris, and authorities announced the arrest of hundreds of people.

The movement is no longer limited to students; teachers, parents, trade unions, and various public sector workers have joined, transforming education-related demands into a broader platform for expressing dissatisfaction with public services, government spending, and economic policies.

At the end of September, France witnessed a widespread strike by public sector employees protesting a proposed wage freeze and fears of austerity measures in the 2027 budget. Trade unions estimated that more than 300,000 people participated in the September 29 demonstrations, compared to 206,000 according to the Interior Ministry.

The protests come at a time when the government faces the difficult task of reducing the public deficit without exacerbating social tensions. Reports indicate that the 2027 budget draft aims to save approximately 54 billion euros, amid union opposition to measures including a freeze on public sector wages.

The challenge is further complicated by rising French borrowing costs. Yields on 10-year government bonds have reached levels not seen since 2002, while the spread over German bond yields has widened to its highest since the Eurozone debt crisis.

Thus, the government finds itself facing a difficult equation: the need to control spending on one hand, and public demands for increased spending on education and public services, as well as improved wages, on the other.

Students argue that school problems extend beyond teacher shortages to include material conditions affecting the educational process, such as overcrowded classrooms, declining infrastructure quality, and a lack of equipment. Data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shows a decline in the performance of French students in reading and mathematics over the past decade, a point highlighted by protesters to illustrate the severity of the crisis facing the public education system.

The government has announced it will review the students’ demands and present detailed proposals by the end of October, while Lecornu stated that authorities are ready to dialogue on the issues raised. However, the government faces financial and political constraints that limit its ability to provide a broad and rapid response.

The controversy has not been limited to educational demands; the police’s handling of protesters has become a central focus of the crisis. Criticism escalated after a 15-year-old boy in Lens suffered serious injuries resulting in the loss of his hand, an incident authorities said is under investigation.

In the wake of the incident, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced the suspension of the use of sound bombs in dealing with high school student protests until the circumstances of the case are clarified. Additionally, 18 incidents involving police interventions were referred to investigative authorities.