French school protests now hit 400 schools
The protests are spreading, but available sources do not confirm 400 arrests.
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School protests in France affected around 400 schools on Tuesday, news agency AFP reports, citing the French Ministry of Education. The same source says 40 people were detained that day; on Monday, the Interior Minister reported 164 arrests.
The action began last week in the region around Paris and then spread to other cities. Among other things, school pupils are protesting staff shortages, overcrowded classes, heavy timetables and poor conditions in school buildings. The heat in classrooms also played a role, according to AFP.
Of the approximately 3,700 French secondary schools, 40 were actually blockaded on Tuesday. At 44 other schools, attempts were made to block access. The French education authorities also reported that around 11.47 per cent of education staff took part in the broader national strike on 29 September; among teachers, the figure was 13.71 per cent.
The protests coincide with a broader mobilisation against Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s budgetary policy. According to Associated Press, Lecornu is trying to find support for the 2027 budget, while opposition parties oppose proposed cuts and higher costs for households.
The government is warning of escalation and accuses politicians from La France insoumise of encouraging pupils to blockade schools. The party defends the protests and emphasises unequal resources between schools and neighbourhoods. This political divide makes it more difficult to treat the action solely as an education dispute.
The figures must also be read carefully. Tuesday’s 40 arrests come on top of the 164 mentioned by the Interior Minister on Monday, but the sources consulted provide no basis for the claim that the total has now exceeded 400.
The next few days will therefore revolve around two questions: will the number of blockades continue to rise, and will the government make concrete commitments on staffing and school buildings? The French government is under pressure both to maintain order and to explain how it intends to tackle education problems without abandoning its budgetary targets.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Around 400 schools were affected by protests or disruptions on Tuesday.
- According to AFP, 40 people were detained on Tuesday; 164 arrests had been reported on Monday.
- The protests concern, among other things, staff shortages, class sizes and school buildings.
Left
Arguments The protests show that years of underinvestment and unequal resources are affecting pupils and teachers. The government should make additional funding available for staff, smaller classes and better buildings, even if this comes at the cost of budgetary headroom.
Values Equal opportunities, public services and the protection of pupils and workers.
Consequences Higher public spending and potentially higher taxes, but from this perspective also less educational disadvantage and less social inequality.
Centre
Arguments The concerns are legitimate, but blockades must not disrupt education and safety. The institutional approach lies in consultation with school boards, temporary emergency measures and an accountable multi-year plan for staff and buildings.
Values Continuity, proportionality, feasibility and trust in public institutions.
Consequences Changes will probably come more gradually, but are more likely to be financially and administratively sustainable.
Right
Arguments The government must guarantee order and access to education, and political parties should not harness minors to their campaign wagon. Improvements should be targeted and affordable, with an emphasis on school discipline, efficient administration and measurable results.
Values Order, responsibility, fiscal discipline and the protection of education as an essential service.
Consequences Less tolerance for blockades and potentially stricter enforcement; additional resources are more likely to be tied to performance and oversight.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved with corrections · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The development of the protests and the numbers of affected schools have been confirmed by AFP and the French Ministry of Education. Available sources do not confirm that more than 400 arrests have been made.
- confirmed Around 400 French schools were affected by protests or disruptions on Tuesday. — AFP cites the French Ministry of Education. source
- confirmed Forty people were detained on Tuesday. — AFP reports 40 arrests on Tuesday. source
- confirmed There were 164 arrests reported on Monday. — AFP refers to a statement by Minister Laurent Nuñez. source
- confirmed The general education strike had a weighted participation rate of 11.47 per cent. — The French ministry published this preliminary percentage. source
1 correction(s) applied
- Was: More than 400 arrests in French school protestsNow: French school protests hit around 400 schools; 40 arrests on Tuesday (The sources report around 400 affected schools and 40 arrests on Tuesday, not more than 400 arrests.)
Editor's note
The expansion to around 400 affected schools and 40 arrests on Tuesday was described by AFP. The claim of more than 400 arrests has not been confirmed; available figures amount to 164 on Monday and 40 on Tuesday.Sources
- Clashes between French teens, police as school blockades intensify — AFP
- Mouvement social du mardi 29 septembre 2026 — Ministère de l’Éducation nationale
- French presidential campaign heats up as student protests fuel political clashes — Associated Press
More on this in Dutch media
- NU.nl — „frankrijk schoolprotesten”
- De Telegraaf — „frankrijk schoolprotesten”
- AD — „frankrijk schoolprotesten”