On Monday, the French government faced failure in its attempt to convince students to end their protests. During meetings attended by Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne and education and university ministers, representatives of high school and university students clearly stated that they are not satisfied with the government's proposals and will continue their protests.
Protesters demand fundamental changes
Louis Letoblon, vice president of the organization "Les Lycéens!", said after the meeting: "None of our demands have been met, and we will pursue this matter until the end." He has urged high school students to continue protests on October 31 and November 5.
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Protesters are calling for the creation of up to 250,000 additional places in higher education and universities, improvements in educational conditions, an increase in the number of teachers, and fundamental reforms in the university selection process.
Government proposals and reactions
On Monday, the French government announced that it would review reforms in the university admission platform, Parcoursup, which student groups consider opaque and a source of inequality. These reforms are set to begin in 2028. The government also promised to provide more funding for school renovations, create 15,000 additional places in higher education in fields such as industry, health, and technical education, and have a maximum of 28 students in first-year high school classes.
These measures, widely reported by French media and confirmed by student representatives, are set to be detailed in a press conference on Monday evening.
However, university students are not satisfied with these proposals. The student union UNEF stated: "The government has misunderstood the issue again. If the government's strategy is to show disrespect for our demands, we will remain in the streets and universities and will not back down from our positions."
Student protests and blockades in schools and universities earlier this month were one of the first signs of broader social discontent that later turned into protests against the cost of living and led to riots two weeks ago.
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