French student leaders welcome new measures but call for continued protests
Education and higher-education ministers announced reforms and funding to address high-school grievances, while student representatives said the steps are insufficient and urged further mobilisation.
France's education ministry announced a series of reforms aimed at easing the crisis that has seen high-school students protest across the country. Education Minister Édouard Geffray said the government will cap tenth-grade class sizes at 28 pupils within two years, launch a consultation on continuous assessment, and allocate €4 billion for renovation of school facilities. He added that all announced actions will be implemented within set timeframes and measurable targets.
Higher-education Minister Philippe Baptiste outlined a two-stage overhaul of the Parcoursup admissions platform, with a major evolution planned for 2027 and a full replacement by 2028, noting that legal changes are required for certain parameters.
Student representatives met with Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and the two ministers on Monday. While they welcomed the concrete announcements, they said the measures fall short of demands. > "The announcements from the Lecornu government are woefully inadequate. The government is offering a €4 billion loan to the regions; not only is this insufficient for infrastructure, but it also means the regions will have to repay it," said Clément Vieillot, co-founder of the Cachan 94 collective.
"We were asking for 250,000 additional spots in higher education, yet we’re only getting 4,000. This is completely absurd," Vieillot added, urging the movement to continue until all demands are met.
Louis Létoublon, vice-president of the high-school union Les Lycéens!, called for further mobilisation on October 31 and on November 5, the date set for a general strike by trade unions. The government plans a non-binding National Assembly debate on Parcoursup later in the day.
Amnesty International urged the government to abandon a proposed "make rioters pay" bill, warning it could breach international human-rights obligations. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported injuries to police and protesters during recent clashes, and President Emmanuel Macron described the unrest as abnormal so close to the upcoming election.