French high school blockades to restart on Monday, student unions say
Student unions across France are preparing to resume high school blockades on Monday as pupils return from a two-week holiday, expanding demonstrations against soaring prices and declining educational conditions. Initial actions at secondary schools will broaden on Tuesday, alongside university blockades planned for Tuesday and Thursday, following a third consecutive weekend of protests that drew roughly 320,000 participants nationwide on Saturday.
The escalation comes despite recent government proposals intended to defuse student anger, including replacing the university admissions platform, offering loans for building renovations, and reducing class sizes. Student organizations dismissed the measures as inadequate. Pierre Sourzat, leader of the "Lycéens!" group, criticized the plan as "smoke and mirrors," pointing out that class size limits apply only to 10th-grade classes instead of all year groups, and do nothing to resolve higher education capacity shortages. Sabrine Kharbach, spokeswoman for the Union Etudiante, confirmed that both schools and universities would be targeted.
French President Emmanuel Macron called for classes to resume calmly, insisting that young people have been heard. However, student representatives reject that assertion, while the government faces strict fiscal limitations in offering further concessions as the eurozone's second-largest economy borders on recession under heavy debt pressures.
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