Overview
- Students returned from the two‑week autumn break and on Monday renewed blockades at some high schools, with organisers saying actions will expand through the week.
- The government has offered targeted measures including an overhaul of the university admissions platform, loans for school renovations, 15,000 new higher‑education places and tighter class‑size caps for some grades.
- Student leaders rejected the package as insufficient and urged continued blockades, saying proposals do not solve teacher shortages, overcrowding or a lack of places in higher education.
- Education officials say only a small fraction of France’s 3,700 lycées are blocked but warn prolonged absences could jeopardise exams; police have been deployed and earlier weeks saw detentions and investigations into crowd‑control tactics after injuries.
- With limited fiscal room because of recession risk and debt pressures, the dispute has broadened into weekend mass rallies and union support and is now a live political issue ahead of next year’s presidential vote.