More than 250,000 people took part in demonstrations across France on Tuesday, October 6, in support of students demanding better learning conditions and increased education funding, according to French authorities. Police used tear gas in Paris and other cities, the Associated Press reported. Students are protesting teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and deteriorating school buildings.
Over several weeks, the movement has grown from school blockades into nationwide demonstrations. On Monday, classes were fully or partly disrupted at nearly 590 of France’s roughly 3,700 high schools, Le Monde reported. Trade unions, teachers and parents joined the students on Tuesday.
The New York Times described the unrest as part of a wider wave of disruption in France: public workers are protesting proposed wage freezes, the government is struggling to pass a budget, and bond yields are rising. The newspaper linked the discontent to long-running difficulties financing the state, high borrowing costs, rising fuel prices and political uncertainty ahead of next spring’s presidential election. It also cited polls showing Marine Le Pen ahead of her rivals.
The government plans to assess schools’ repair needs, and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu asked ministers to submit initial proposals by the end of October, Reuters reported. AP, Reuters and Le Monde have independently reported on the school blockades and demonstrations. Authorities have not announced a comprehensive response to the protesters’ demands.