Overview

• Hundreds of auto‑school vehicles staged operations escargot in Paris on 29 September, with about 500 cars converging on Place de la Nation to protest practical test delays far beyond the 45‑day legal cap.
• Professionals demand immediate recruitment of roughly 150–170 examiners and 20 delegates, plus reforms such as raising mandatory training to 28 hours and introducing measures like a rattrapage system, earlier accompanied driving, or simulator readiness tests.
• The Interior Ministry cites a summer plan adding exam capacity, reporting 11,785 additional tests in August 2025 (+25% year over year) and projecting larger increases for September and October, along with about 108 examiner posts planned for 2025–26.
• Sector groups argue these steps fall short and have scheduled weekly regional actions each Monday, with representatives set to meet Interior Ministry officials, including minister François‑Noël Buffet, to press for faster recruitment.
• Waits reach up to eight months in major cities, driving extra lesson costs of €50–€60 per hour and risky workarounds, while some candidates pay €2,000–€3,500 for relocation packages to test in regions with more slots.