Violent clashes, schools shut: Why are students protesting across France?

France is witnessing widespread protests in hundreds of high schools, with students and teachers taking to the streets since September 17. The unrest began at the Saint-Exupéry high school in Créteil and has since spread across regions like Paris, Marseille, Strasbourg, Tours, and Lille. The protests have taken on a political dimension, coinciding with the upcoming presidential elections and other public grievances.

The main complaints from students include overcrowded classrooms, insufficient teaching staff, lack of nurses and social workers, and deteriorating infrastructure. Some students have reported as many as 40 students in a single classroom, whereas the average is around 30. The school day, extending from 8 am to 5 pm with a lunch break, is also causing concern among the students.

The violence during the protests has escalated, with incidents of fires, projectiles thrown at police, and clashes. Over 4,000 people have been arrested, and 65 education staff, including 40 school principals, have been injured. The Education Ministry acknowledged the students' grievances but emphasized that violence is not acceptable.

The government maintains that it is committed to addressing the students' concerns, with plans to hire more teachers starting October 5 and a feedback program for students. However, the government faces challenges balancing the students' demands with its budget, which includes only a 1.7% increase in education spending for the 2027 fiscal year.

The political landscape is complex, with some right-wing and center figures accusing the left-wing France Unbowed party of instigating the protests to rally young voters ahead of the presidential elections.