Overview

• Several hundred vehicles took part in operations escargot in Paris, with about 500 cars converging on Place de la Nation after authorities barred a République rally, as driving schools and the majority inspectors’ union Snica‑FO protested together.
• Professional bodies demand immediate recruitment of roughly 150–200 inspectors and a rise in mandatory training to 28 hours, citing a legal 45‑day cap routinely exceeded with average waits around 85–90 days and up to eight months in some areas.
• The Interior Ministry says its summer plan is boosting capacity, reporting 11,785 additional exams in August (+25% year over year), with larger increases expected in September and October, and 108 inspector posts slated between 2025 and 2026.
• Organizers plan to escalate with regional actions every Monday and are due to meet Tuesday with François‑Noël Buffet at the Interior Ministry after two earlier government meetings failed to resolve the backlog.
• Extended delays push candidates to pay extra lessons priced at €50–€60 per hour and, in some cases, resort to risky alternatives, while premium offers to test in lower‑pressure provinces have emerged at higher total costs.