They reject the government’s attempts to divide organizations in order to discourage the public.
On Saturday, French student leaders called on citizens to resume school blockades on Tuesday and Thursday to force President Emmanuel Macron to meet their demands.
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“We see this government creating chaos,” Student Union spokesperson Sabrine Kharbach said from the front of the demonstration in Paris in defense of purchasing power and public services. She accused Macron of trying to “disorganize” the protests.
Student organizations unanimously pledged to maintain pressure on the French government on Thursday, Nov. 5, when they will join the mobilization and strike called by labor unions.
Suzanne Nijdam, president of the Federation of General Student Associations (FAGE), criticized the government measures announced earlier this week and called for concrete responses.
🔴 “La stratégie du gouvernement ne fonctionne pas. La seule voie de sortie pour le gouvernement est de répondre aux revendications des jeunes et plus généralement des travailleurs et des travailleuses”, assure la présidente de la FAGE, Suzanne Nijdam, depuis la porte de Bagnolet… pic.twitter.com/ogAgWNyZUe
— franceinfo (@franceinfo) October 31, 2026
The text reads, “‘The government’s strategy is not working. The only way out for the government is to address the demands of young people—and, more broadly, of workers,’ FAGE President Suzanne Nijdam states, speaking from Porte de Bagnolet in Paris.”
She also accused the Macron administration of trying to “suffocate” the protests and “divide” students in an effort to demobilize the French public. The FAGE leader urged the government to move “into the real phase and make real budget announcements” to address their demands for improvements in schools.
“We refuse to fall into this strategy of disorganization and chaos,” said Manon Moret, secretary of the National Union of Students of France (UNEF). She also called on Macron to “find the money wherever necessary” to “put 10 billion euros on the table,” the amount needed to address the problems facing the French education system.
The repeated appeals in recent days by both Macron and Education Minister Edouard Geffray for students to return to classrooms peacefully next Monday appear to have done little good.
Geffray even wrote an open letter to students expressing his “deep confidence” in them and defending the measures announced by the government this week in response to their demands.
🔴🇫🇷FLASH – Malgré l’impossibilité de défiler dans plusieurs grandes villes, près d’un demi-million de manifestants se sont mobilisés en France, dont 200 000 à Paris, selon l’intersyndicale jeunesse. #31octobre pic.twitter.com/LBUeP5sqW1
— Brèves de presse (@Brevesdepresse) October 31, 2026
The text reads, “Despite the inability to hold marches in several major cities, nearly half a million protesters mobilized across France—including 200,000 in Paris—according to the youth inter-union coalition. October 31.”
In his letter, Geffray pledged to hire new teachers and limit class sizes to 28 students in the second year of lower secondary school at half of the most disadvantaged schools. However, the latter measure would not begin to be implemented until September 2027, before being extended to all schools in 2028.
The French minister also highlighted changes to Parcoursup, the widely criticized higher education admissions platform, during the current academic year. The platform is scheduled to be replaced in 2028.
The government will also examine changes to school schedules, lunch breaks and transportation conditions, as well as review the continuous assessment system for the baccalaureate, with the aim of adopting measures that can take effect in the next academic year.
Student organizations consider these announcements mere crumbs, as they are demanding 10 billion euros in investment to create 250,000 places in higher education, hire more teachers, and renovate secondary schools.
The National High School Student Union (USL), which has led the blockades in recent weeks, expects protests to resume on a “massive” scale starting on Monday. Participation in the movement will serve as a barometer of its strength after the school break and the government’s announcements.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
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