San Francisco Frontiers - France's high school students plan fresh protests

The new protests, scheduled for Tuesday, could be a turning point in the movement, launched in mid-September, which the government hopes is already winding down.

On Friday, the government noted a dramatic drop in the number of blockades and meetings outside the country's lycees, where students -- most between 15 and 18 -- complete their high school education.

More than 96 percent were opening Friday, said the education ministry.

The authorities are all the more keen to see the student protests end given that online activists have called for demonstrations next Saturday to protest the cost of living.

For President Emmanuel Macron's administration, that brings back troubling memories of the grassroots Yellow Vest movement.

Their protests, launched in 2018 over a planned fuel tax rise, saw massive demonstrations and clashes between police and protesters that shook the presidency during Macron's first term in office.

- Concessions -

The government is still counting the cost of the high school protests.

A government source told journalists last week that the cost for damage caused by the demonstrations was "at least 30 million euros".

On Friday, the justice ministry said more than 6,800 people had been detained since the demonstrations started, 86 percent of them minors.

After clashes between some protesters and riot police left some students severely injured, sparking criticism of police tactics, the government suspended the use of stun grenades that cost one student his hand.

Police are investigating 18 alleged cases of misconduct within their ranks.

Last week, the government came up with concrete proposals to try to address the students' demands.

Education Minister Edouard Geffray announced late Thursday that some 3,000 substitute teachers would be deployed in the coming days to replace absent staff at the 114 worst-affected high schools.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Sunday promised to make changes to the planned budget 2027 to respond to some demands set out in an online platform the government set up to gather students' views.

- 'Crumbs' -

The student organisations behind the protests are yet to be convinced, however.

The Union of High School students described the initial announcements last week as "crumbs". They are maintaining their demand for an extra 10 million euros to be invested in the country's lycees.

France's 10,000 medical students, however, are beginning to express concern at the effect any continued school blockades could have on exams starting Monday that help determine their eventual speciality.

They do not want to see the students' action disrupt such a crucial stage of their education.

Last Thursday's student demonstrations mobilised tens of thousands of people across France: 71,500 according to interior ministry figures.

Nearly 256,000 took part in last Tuesday's day of action.

And one poll, carried out by Ipsos-BVA and published on Sunday, said 54 percent of respondents backed the high school student protests.

They had the most sympathy with student complaints about the excessive size of classes and with the need to renovate the country's crumbling schools.

M.Powell--SFF