French student protests turn violent as public workers strike over cuts
Clashes between protesting students and police left 10 people injured and 40 arrested across France, as teachers and public-sector workers struck against planned budget cuts.
French high-school students blockaded dozens of schools and clashed with police on Tuesday, as public-sector workers went on strike against government budget cuts due to be unveiled this week. Ten people, including students and staff, were injured and 40 were arrested nationwide, according to Al Jazeera, citing the AP and Reuters news agencies.
France's Ministry of National Education said more than 330 high schools, just under one in ten nationwide, were affected by the unrest. Tagesspiegel reported disturbances at around 340 schools, also citing the ministry, with about 40 schools blockaded and police detaining 40 people.
In Lille, northern France, masked pupils gathered outside the Lycée César Baggio and set bins on fire, according to the AFP news agency. In Nantes, students piled up bins to block the entrance to the Lycée Gabriel Guist'hau, while in Paris around 30 students faced a police contingent outside the Arago school. Similar clashes were reported in Marseille, Bordeaux and Lyon.
Police fired tear gas after bus shelters and advertising billboards were vandalised and objects including bottles and paving stones were thrown at officers, Al Jazeera reported. The Île-de-France region estimated damage at about €200,000, according to Tagesspiegel.
About 11% of teachers and school staff joined the strike, the education ministry said, with turnout reaching 40% among primary school teachers, according to Tagesspiegel. Fewer than one in ten other civil servants, and even fewer hospital staff, stopped work. Firefighters, who say this summer's wildfires exposed resource shortages, also joined marches in several cities.
CGT union leader Sophie Binet gave the government 48 hours to withdraw the planned cuts, which she said included a fourth consecutive freeze on state employees' base pay as part of a €2bn savings push within a wider €54bn austerity drive. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is due to present the government's 2027 budget this week.
What we know
- French high-school students blockaded schools and clashed with police on Tuesday, ahead of the government's 2027 budget announcement.
- Ten people were injured and 40 were arrested nationwide, according to Al Jazeera, citing AP and Reuters.
- More than 330 schools, just under one in ten nationwide, were affected, France's Ministry of National Education said.
- About 11% of teachers and school staff joined a related civil-service strike, with turnout of 40% among primary teachers.
- CGT union leader Sophie Binet gave the government 48 hours to withdraw planned pay freezes and cuts.
Why it matters for Europe
The unrest comes seven months before France's presidential election and two days before the government unveils its 2027 budget, at a time of low public support for President Emmanuel Macron's government. The strike coincides with a planned pay freeze affecting public-sector workers, whose salaries have risen about 5% since 2017 while inflation has run at roughly 24% over the same period, according to Tagesspiegel.
Sources
Reported by 2 reports from 2 independent outlets in 2 countries.
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Questions and answers
- How many people were hurt or arrested in the French student protests?
- Ten people were injured and 40 were arrested nationwide on Tuesday, according to Al Jazeera, citing AP and Reuters.
- Why are French students protesting?
- Students are protesting overcrowded, under-resourced schools ahead of the government's 2027 budget, which includes planned public spending cuts.
- How many schools were affected?
- France's Ministry of National Education said more than 330 high schools, just under one in ten nationwide, were affected.
This article was written with AI assistance from 2 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.