"A turning point"... France is preparing for a new wave of student protests

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On Tuesday, France witnessed a new wave of student protests, amid the movement aimed at improving educational conditions, while a number of schools continued to be closed across the country on Monday.

As students seek to maintain the momentum of the movement that began in mid-September, some view the protests scheduled for Tuesday as a turning point, at a time when the government hopes that the movement has begun to decline.

On Friday, the government indicated a significant decrease in the number of secondary schools that witnessed suspension of lessons or protests outside their doors. The Ministry of Education said that more than 96 percent of secondary schools were open on Friday.

In an incident that has not yet been proven to be linked to the student movement, a teenager opened fire with a hunting rifle on Monday, wounding a middle school principal and a teacher in Aubagne, near Marseille (south), before his weapon was disarmed. It is expected that the Minister of Education, Edouard Jeffrey, and the Minister of Interior, Laurent Nuñez, will go to the location.

Jeffrey denounced on the “X” platform “an unacceptable act,” considering that it reflects “the growth of uncontrolled violence in our society.”

For his part, President Emmanuel Macron praised the educational team's "composure and exemplary reaction" that "allowed the worst to be avoided."

Regarding the movement of secondary school students, 96.5 percent of educational institutions were open on Monday morning, while 130 institutions were closed, compared to 172, on Friday. The Ministry of Education confirmed that “the movement is clearly declining,” but it did not announce the number of institutions whose activities were disrupted due to the closure of their entrances.

She said that "despite the decline in the closure of institutions, acts of violence are escalating," noting that "at least eight national education workers were injured" on Monday morning.

Macron demanded that the movement be carried out "calmly and orderly, and with respect for both persons and property."

The French President rarely commented on the student movement since its launch in mid-September, before it expanded to include all parts of France.

Educational institutions in a number of major cities are still closed due to the protests or are experiencing disruption in their activities. In the Paris region, where the activities of about 80 secondary schools were disrupted, a school principal, one of the students' parents, and an employee were infected on Monday morning.

The authorities are keen to end the wave of student protests, especially after online activists issued calls for additional demonstrations next Saturday to protest living conditions.

These calls bring to mind the “yellow vest” movement, which in 2018 led to mass demonstrations, including clashes with the police, to protest a plan to raise fuel prices during Macron’s first term.

The French authorities are still counting the losses resulting from the protests. A government source told reporters last week that the cost of the damage was “no less than 30 million euros.”

On Friday, the Ministry of Justice announced that more than 6,800 people had been arrested since the start of the demonstrations, 86 percent of whom were minors.

Clashes with riot police resulted in serious injuries among students, sparking widespread criticism of police practices and prompting the government to temporarily ban the use of stun grenades after one of them caused the amputation of a student's hand.

The police launched 18 internal investigations into accusations against its members.

Last week, the government tried to respond to students' demands by presenting concrete proposals.

Prime Minister Sebastian Lecorno promised on Sunday that the 2027 budget would include more resources allocated to schools, with the aim of responding to a number of demands expressed by students through an electronic platform created by the government.

However, these initiatives were not enough to convince the student organizations behind the protests.

The Secondary Students Union considered that the government’s announcements do not in any way meet the demands, which include investing an additional 10 million euros to improve the situation of secondary schools throughout the country.

10,000 medical students in France are currently afraid of the possible repercussions of the protests against exams scheduled for Monday, which will determine their future specialization and thus represent a decisive moment in their educational path.

Last week, student demonstrations succeeded in attracting tens of thousands across the country. According to Interior Ministry figures, the number of participants last Thursday reached about 71,500 people. Nearly 256,000 people participated during the mobilization day last Tuesday.

An Ipsos-BVI poll published on Sunday showed that 54 percent of respondents supported the recent student protests.

They particularly support the demands related to reducing overcrowding in classrooms and the need to renovate schools.