Paris: France faced a major nationwide mobilisation on Tuesday, with tens of thousands of people taking part in demonstrations as hundreds of schools were affected by protests over education conditions.
The demonstrations began at a high school in the Paris region in September and have since spread to cities across the country. Students are demanding improvements in schools, including more teachers, better facilities, less overcrowding and changes to the organisation of the school day.
The French Education Ministry said 891 schools had experienced full or partial disruption on Tuesday. The figure marked a significant increase in the scale of the school protests compared with earlier demonstrations.
The Interior Ministry said about 86,000 people had taken part in demonstrations outside Paris by midday. A major demonstration was also taking place in Paris, where authorities had expected between 20,000 and 40,000 people. Demonstrations were also reported in cities including Lyon, Marseille, Lille, Nantes, Strasbourg, Rennes, Toulouse and Nîmes.
The movement has grown beyond high school students. Teachers, parents, trade unions and university students have also joined the mobilisation. The CGT trade union has backed the protests, while the national parents federation FCPE has called for greater attention to the concerns raised by young people.
Students have complained about shortages of teachers, classes being cancelled when teachers are absent, overcrowded classrooms and poor school buildings. They have also raised concerns about school schedules, educational inequality and the university admissions system known as Parcoursup.
Official government data show that concerns about missed teaching are not limited to the current protests. During the 2024 to 2025 school year, 9.8 percent of teaching hours in French public secondary schools were not provided. Teacher absences that were not replaced accounted for most of those missed hours.
The government has responded by opening a national consultation with high school students. The consultation began on October 5 and will continue until October 23, allowing students to submit their concerns and proposals. The government has identified teacher replacement, school buildings, school schedules, Parcoursup and greater student participation as key areas for action.
However, the protests have also been marked by violence in some places. Authorities have reported clashes between protesters and police, damage to property, fires and attacks involving projectiles. Many demonstrations have remained peaceful, but incidents of violence have led to injuries and arrests.
The Justice Ministry said 5,060 people had been placed in police custody since the violence began. It said 87 percent of those placed in police custody were minors and that 1,802 people were facing prosecution.
Authorities said 715 police officers and gendarmes, 215 teenagers and 85 education staff had been injured. Ten investigations have been opened by the police oversight body, IGPN, into police interventions during the protests.
One of the most serious incidents happened in Lens in northern France on October 5, when a 15 year old boy lost his hand after picking up a police dispersal grenade that exploded during clashes. The incident has led to renewed scrutiny of police tactics, while Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has defended the conduct of police operations.
The government has also faced political criticism over its handling of the demonstrations. Officials and political opponents have accused the hard left La France Insoumise party of helping to fuel the protests. The party has rejected the accusation. The student movement itself has broader education related demands and includes people from different organisations and political backgrounds.
The protests are taking place as France faces a separate and serious economic challenge. Investors have been concerned about the country's high public debt, its budget plans and political uncertainty ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
French government forecasts put the public deficit at 5.4 percent of economic output in 2026 and 5 percent in 2027. The government has proposed a major fiscal adjustment as it seeks to reduce spending and bring down the deficit.
French government borrowing costs rose sharply on October 5 as investors reacted to concerns about the country's finances and political situation. The bond market recovered somewhat on October 6, however, with French borrowing costs falling from the previous day's levels.
The protests come about six months before France's next presidential election, adding to political pressure on Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's government and President Emmanuel Macron.
The scale of Tuesday's demonstrations has turned the education dispute into a wider national debate over education, public services, policing and the government's response.