French student protests are set to intensify from Monday, with school blockades expected to resume as students reject government proposals aimed at addressing their concerns.
Pierre Sourzat, head of the student group Lyceens!, said some high schools would be blockaded when students return from a two-week holiday.
Speaking to French broadcaster RMC on Sunday, Sourzat said the protests would become more significant from Tuesday, although some schools would be blocked as early as Monday.
“We support all our comrades who are blocking their schools from tomorrow,” he said.
The announcement follows a third consecutive weekend of demonstrations across France, with hundreds of thousands of people, including high school and university students, taking to the streets on Saturday.
Students Reject Government Proposals
The protests emerged from weeks of demonstrations by high school students over deteriorating learning conditions, rising living costs and inequality.
On Monday, the French government announced measures intended to address students’ demands, including replacing the university admissions platform and providing loans for school renovations.
However, student groups said the proposals fell short of their expectations.
Sourzat criticised the proposed overhaul of the university admissions platform, which has faced longstanding complaints over transparency, arguing that it failed to address the shortage of places in higher education.
He also dismissed plans to reduce class sizes, saying the measures would apply only to 10th-grade classes instead of all year groups.
“We were asking for all year groups,” he said.
More University and School Blockades Planned
Sabrine Kharbach, spokeswoman for the Union Etudiante, said on Saturday that university and high school blockades would take place on Tuesday and Thursday.
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for classes to resume peacefully, arguing that young people had been heard.
However, Sourzat disputed the president’s assessment.
“The president hasn’t listened to us,” he said, describing the government’s response as insufficient.
Economic Pressure Limits Government Response
France’s protest movement comes as the eurozone’s second-largest economy faces the threat of recession and mounting pressure to control public debt.
The government’s financial constraints have limited its ability to address student demands through additional spending.
The renewed blockades signal continued opposition to the government’s education proposals, with student groups maintaining pressure for further action.
