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French students blockade schools in Paris and other cities over cost of living

Several cities · pinned on Paris, France · since Sep 1, 2026

Is it still on?

YESDay 64 and counting, since Sep 1.

Last report · checked

The Tea in three lines

Why they are protesting
Students are protesting over the rising cost of living, poor state of schools, and a perceived socially unfair university admissions system.
What they want
Demanding school renovations, more teachers, more university places, and the end of the current university admissions system.
What changed
Nov 2: Student protests resumed following a two-week break, with roughly 41 high schools blockaded.
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Both sides

What protesters want

  • Renovation of aging schools
  • More teachers
  • More university places
  • End of the university admissions system

What authorities say

Education Minister Edouard Geffray stated that the blockades were very marginal and that while protests are allowed, blocking school access is illegal. The government previously offered to cap class sizes, allocate €4 billion for school renovations, and create new university places and admissions systems by 2028, according to source 1.1

The full story

French high school students resumed demonstrations following a two-week break, attempting to blockade educational facilities in cities including Paris, Marseille, and Rennes. According to the Education Ministry, around 41 high schools were blockaded nationwide. The movement began in September in the Paris suburbs before spreading across the country, expanding from educational concerns to broader cost-of-living issues and drawing in trade unionists and activists. Student representatives rejected recent government concessions regarding class sizes, school funding, and admissions as insufficient, vowing to continue their demonstrations.

Timeline

  1. Student protests resumed after a two-week break, with the Education Ministry reporting 41 high schools blockaded by morning.1

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