French student protests over school conditions spread nationwide

Tens of thousands of students and supporters across France protested this week over dilapidated schools, overcrowding and teacher shortages, sparking a national movement from Paris' deprived suburbs, with over 5,000 arrests and injuries reported. The protests, which began in high-poverty Parisian suburbs like Aubervilliers and spread to over 1,200 schools nationwide, drew police responses with tear gas and rubber bullets. Protesters cited canceled classes, unsanitary conditions and chronic staff shortages, while Interior Minister Laurent Nunez condemned the "unacceptable violence." The demonstrations have become a political flashpoint amid government spending cuts, including a below-inflation 1.7% education budget increase to €65.53 billion for 2027. Experts say the unrest reflects marginalized urban neighborhoods' growing political influence, with two-thirds of Seine-Saint-Denis schools reporting unfilled teacher positions.