أكبر احتجاجات طلابية منذ عقود في فرنسا.. الحكومة تواجه أزمة التعليم والديون

All eyes in France are on high schools and universities today (Wednesday), as protests by students continue and several educational institutions remain closed, following a large mobilization that took place in the streets of the country. The government is facing increasing pressure to contain student anger and respond to demands related to education.

The high school student union and the student federation have called for the continued closure of schools and the organization of new demonstrations on Thursday, while the student federation spoke about preparations for what it described as the "fourth act" of protests in Paris and other French cities.

The president of the National Union of Student Unions, Suzanne Nedjam, urged the government to "release" the education and higher education budget, considering this a fundamental step to calm the rising anger.

A group of unions is scheduled to hold a press conference on Wednesday morning to present details of the next phase of the protest movement that has become a significant presence in the political and social landscape of France.

More than 250,000 demonstrators

France witnessed a wave of widespread protests yesterday (Tuesday), involving high school students, parents, and teachers, marking the largest day of student mobilization since the protests began. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu described the demonstrations as among the most intense student protests the country has seen in decades.

The protests extended to dozens of French cities, where police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse groups that clashed with security forces on the sidelines of marches in Paris, Strasbourg, Rennes, Toulouse, and other cities.

The Ministry of the Interior estimated the number of participants at more than 250,000 across the country, while protest organizers raised the number to about 450,000 participants.

These protests come amid increasing social and political discontent in France, coinciding with the rising popularity of populist parties on both the right and left, ahead of the presidential elections scheduled for next spring.

Hundreds injured and 488 arrested

Lecornu told members of parliament that at least 215 teenagers and 85 school staff have been injured so far during the clashes, describing the toll as "the heaviest in decades" that the education sector has endured.

The Prime Minister's office added that more than 700 police officers were also injured during the unrest, while the Ministry of the Interior announced the arrest of 488 individuals (on Tuesday), with 48 members of the security forces injured.

Demands related to schools and teachers

Students are raising a set of demands related to the conditions of educational institutions, including the deteriorating state of some buildings, overcrowded classrooms and schedules, a shortage of substitute teachers, in addition to inequalities related to the "Parcoursup" system for higher education admissions.

The government is closely monitoring the reaction of high school students to its strategy aimed at calming the protests through dialogue within educational institutions.

These movements come at a time when the government is facing significant financial constraints, alongside increasing pressure regarding the way security forces are handling the protests, especially after serious injuries were recorded among several students since the beginning of the movement.

In contrast, the protests on Tuesday, according to initial reports, occurred without major disturbances or new serious injuries.

Universities join the protests

The crisis is not limited to high schools, as the repercussions of the protest movement have extended to the higher education sector. According to the Ministry of Education, about 40% of higher education institutions experienced disruptions (on Tuesday).

The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Philippe Bastien, is scheduled to meet with representatives of professional organizations and then with student representatives (on Wednesday) in an attempt to discuss developments and contain the rising tension within universities.

Bombard: Protests must be "peaceful, broad, and non-violent"

Manuel Bombard, the national coordinator of the France Unbowed party, praised what he described as the "mass movement" that took place in the country (on Tuesday), where hundreds of thousands took to the streets in protests related to high school students.

Bombard stated in television remarks that the demonstrations were "joyful, peaceful, and determined," expressing pride in this generation of students.

He called on the government to listen to the protesters' demands and provide "political responses commensurate with the scale of the anger" that the country is experiencing, announcing his support for the continuation of movements in the forms chosen by the students.

At the same time, he emphasized that "violence is not acceptable," affirming the necessity for the protest movement to be "peaceful, broad, and non-violent" in order to convey its demands.

He also called for the protests to continue at the same pace as the demonstrations on Tuesday, considering the students' demands "just and legitimate," and urging the government to respond to them instead of turning the discussion into political disputes.

Demands for hiring tens of thousands of teachers

Bombard announced his support for the students' demands, calling for the hiring of tens of thousands of additional teachers, at a time when the government plans to eliminate about 1,600 teaching positions next year.

He also called for increasing the number of staff in education, assistants for students with disabilities, school psychologists, and nurses.

11 investigations into serious injuries

According to French media reports, 11 investigations have been opened by the General Inspectorate of the French National Police (IGPN) regarding acts of violence allegedly committed by the police that resulted in serious injuries.

In contrast, the French public prosecutor confirmed that judicial authorities had received reports concerning serious incidents related to violence against police or gendarmes, education sector workers, and students, in addition to acts of vandalism using dangerous means.