The key facts
- The authorities report 48 blockaded high schools out of 3,700; the USL union says 500
- New blockades and a nationwide trade union strike are planned for Thursday
- The movement has spread to Belgium, Italy and Spain
High school blockades resumed after the holidays
On Tuesday, 3 November 2026, school students in France resumed their campaign of blockading high schools, returning after the two-week autumn holidays. They are demanding that the authorities repair dilapidated schools, reduce class sizes and increase the number of university places. This was reported by Euronews citing data from the authorities and student organisations.
Discrepancy in the figures
According to the authorities, 48 of the country's roughly 3,700 high schools were blockaded, including in Paris, Rennes, Toulouse and Lyon. The Union syndicale lycéenne (USL) student union disputes these figures, claiming that 500 institutions were blockaded. Notably, the discrepancy persists over time: on Monday the authorities spoke of 42 schools (about 1% of the total), while student organisations said 169. Around 15% of higher education institutions were also described as affected.
Confrontation and plans for Thursday
The student union accused the authorities of heavy-handed tactics: according to it, at schools 'young people were pressed against walls and police units were deployed'. A representative of the organisation told the AFP news agency: 'Our impression is that the aim is to suppress the movement and prevent Thursday's mobilisation.' On Thursday, students plan a new day of blockades — it coincides with a nationwide strike called by the trade unions.
Context of the movement
The school protests have become part of a nationwide movement against rising prices and insufficient funding of public services: over the previous three weekends hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets, and on 17 October some of the most serious unrest in France in recent years took place. The movement has also inspired students in Belgium, Italy and Spain, where the French word 'blocus' (blockade) has become a popular hashtag. Last week the government presented measures in response to some of the demands, including a reform of the university admissions procedure, which had been criticised for its lack of transparency; however, student leaders consider the proposals insufficient.
