The key facts
- The government promised to cap class sizes, allocate €4 billion in loans for school repairs and change the university admissions system by 2028
- Schoolchildren's representative Louis Letoublon said a new mobilisation would follow if no concrete changes are made
- 1,435 people were detained in the riots of 17 October; a poll gives Le Pen 32–33.5% versus 17% for Jean-Luc Melenchon
Concessions deemed insufficient
French student and school leaders have said they will continue protests despite a package of concessions from President Emmanuel Macron's government, The National reports. The movement, which began as discontent in the education sector, has spread to trade unions and 'yellow vest' activists and has become a test for the minority government.
What the government offered
The package of measures includes capping the size of some school classes, €4 billion ($4.5 billion) in loans for school repairs, €1 billion in investment in university campuses, inflation-indexed student stipends, 15,000 additional places in higher education, and, by 2028, replacing the university admissions system that students consider socially unfair. Higher Education Minister Philippe Baptiste promised to make the admissions system 'more transparent', while Education Minister Edouard Geffray acknowledged the need to 'reduce pressure' on the education system. The total cost of the package was not named, and high borrowing needs are already complicating the adoption of next year's budget.
The protesters' response and the scale of the riots
Schoolchildren's representative Louis Letoublon said on France 2 that the protest leaders are not satisfied with the proposals voiced at the meeting in Paris: 'If we do not see concrete changes in schoolchildren's lives, we will call for mobilisation.' Baptiste, for his part, said: 'I also believe that there is a right to education,' adding that he wants 'everyone to return to work.' Nine days ago, on 17 October, riots swept dozens of French cities, raising fears that the state had lost control of the streets. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported 1,435 detentions on Saturday and a new phenomenon — organised far-right groups that in Nice and Montpellier confronted far-left activists in an organised manner.
Economic and political consequences
The sell-off of French government bonds paused after Moody's refrained from downgrading the country's sovereign rating on Friday. Nevertheless, businesses complain of damage: Alain Di Crescenzo, head of the CCI France chamber of commerce network, said many shops remained closed as a precaution after 17 October, leading to a sharp drop in sales. 'Our retailers are tired and demoralised, and we are killing local commerce,' The National quotes him as saying. The government has little room to spend money on appeasing discontent: public debt is approaching 120% of GDP. Against the backdrop of the riots, support has grown for the far-right favourite of the presidential race, Marine Le Pen: a poll published on Sunday gives her 32–33.5% versus 17% for her nearest rival, far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon; according to polls, she would easily beat him in the second round, expected in early May. Earlier, Macron acknowledged that new unrest was likely over the coming weekend, ahead of the nationwide day of demonstrations on 5 November, and during a visit to Marseille said he would maintain security measures and seek to move demonstrations away from city centres.
