French school protests resume on a smaller scale as holidays end

Summary

Student protests in France resumed on Monday, 2 November, as pupils returned from a two-week break, but on a much smaller scale than in the weeks before. Pupils tried to blockade a few high schools in Paris, Marseille and Rennes, according to French media. The Education Ministry said that by 0830 GMT about 41 high schools, roughly 1 per cent of the more than 3,000 nationwide, had been blockaded, after hundreds were blockaded in the weeks before the break. The Guardian reported that dozens of high schools were blockaded again as the government braced for another tense week, and a minister warned that weeks without lessons are putting exams at risk while unions plan a nationwide strike on Thursday. The protests grew out of weeks of high school demonstrations over learning conditions and inequality and have become part of a wider cost-of-living movement. Euronews reported that the government has announced measures including changing the university admissions process, ensuring more teachers and capping the number of pupils per class.

Timeline

1. Channel NewsAsia

   2 Nov 2026, 09:38 UTCSource ↗

   Channel NewsAsia reports that the cost-of-living rallies emerged after high school students launched nationwide demonstrations in September over learning conditions and inequality, and that the limited protests are resuming as the holidays end.

2. RTÉ

   2 Nov 2026, 09:54 UTCSource ↗

   RTÉ reports that French student protests resumed on a much smaller scale than in past weeks as pupils returned from a two-week break, with young people trying to blockade some secondary schools.

3. South China Morning Post

   2 Nov 2026, 11:13 UTCSource ↗

   The South China Morning Post reports that pupils tried to blockade a few high schools in Paris, Marseille and Rennes, and that the Education Ministry said about 41 high schools, roughly 1 per cent of those nationwide, were blockaded by 0830 GMT.

4. Euronews

   2 Nov 2026, 11:33 UTCSource ↗

   Euronews reports that limited school protests resumed in some cities as the holiday ended, and that the government has announced measures including changing the university admissions process, ensuring more teachers and capping the number of pupils per class.

5. The Guardian

   2 Nov 2026, 18:17 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that dozens of high schools across France were blockaded again on Monday as the government braced for another tense week of protests, and that a minister warned weeks without lessons are putting exams at risk while unions plan a nationwide strike on Thursday.

6. Al Jazeera

   2 Nov 2026, 21:28 UTCSource ↗

   Al Jazeera reports in a video newsfeed that student protests resumed in France as pupils returned to school.