Student protests continue in France as government seeks dialogue

On October 7, 2026, most French high schools resumed operations following massive protests, with 86% of institutions reopening. While some schools remain partially or fully blocked by students using refuse containers, the number of blocked facilities has decreased by 41% compared to the previous day. The protests, which began in mid-September in the Paris suburbs, are driven by grievances regarding the poor state of school buildings, overcrowded classrooms, and unfilled teacher vacancies in working-class neighborhoods.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported that since the unrest began, 761 police officers and gendarmes, 215 students, and 89 education staff members have been injured, with 6,629 individuals detained. Minister Nunez rejected accusations of police repression, citing unprecedented violence. In response to the unrest, the government announced the cessation of the use of sound-and-flash grenades, though opposition leader Olivier Faure demands a total ban on rubber-bullet launchers. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is expected to address the nation regarding the schools, rising fuel prices, the agricultural crisis, and the national fiscal situation.