French Students Vow To Keep Barricading Schools After Government Offers Concessions

French student leaders plan to continue blocking school entrances despite new government offers.

Pierre Sourzat of the union Les Lycéens told France Info that negotiations have begun, but the group intends to maintain pressure. "Today we're at the negotiating table, we're able to negotiate with the government," Sourzat said. "We're in a power struggle and we still need to call for continued mobilisation to meet a maximum of our demands."

Education Minister Édouard Geffray proposed capping class sizes for 15-year-olds at 28 students within the 50% of schools located in lowest-income areas. This limit would expand to all high schools next year, alongside plans to create additional teaching posts and review the French baccalaureate system. Geffray also announced a €4 billion government loan to regional authorities for building repairs, stating that some facilities are "not fit" for teaching.

The package includes changes to the university application platform Parcoursup, which students have called opaque and unfair. The government plans to replace the current system with a new one in 2028 after a review in 2027. Parliament is scheduled to debate the issue on Wednesday. Higher education minister Philippe Baptiste said 15,000 additional student places will be created, primarily for vocational courses.

Protest organizers have not accepted these measures as final. Louis Letoublon, who represented Les Lycéens at a meeting with prime minister Sébastien Lecornu, stated that the government responded because it is afraid. "Not all our demands were met. We'll go on for as long as it takes," Letoublon said. Sourzat echoed this sentiment, saying, "We want measures, not half measures."

The blockades, which began in September, mark the largest youth protest movement in years. Students cite teacher shortages and building conditions such as collapsing ceilings, mould, broken toilets, and windows that do not shut. Trade unions and cost-of-living protesters have joined the students for Saturday demonstrations.

Security has tightened following violence on 17 October involving looting, fires, and vandalism. Authorities have placed curfews in certain cities and restricted protest routes to city outskirts. Interior minister Laurent Nuñez reported that ultra-right groups arrived in "organised formations" in Nice and Montpellier over the weekend, targeting protesters; 11 suspects face charges.

President Emmanuel Macron, visiting Marseille on Monday, said nationwide street protests are likely to continue. He identified the next day of demonstrations on 31 October as a "day of risk" and told police it is "not normal" for the country to be in "such a state of turmoil" six months before a presidential election. Macron stated, "We will continue to hold the line.. But nothing is a foregone conclusion."