Since late September, hundreds of high schools across France have faced continuous blockades led by students demanding better learning conditions and relief from rising costs, [terrestres.org] reported.
Protests spreading from urban working-class neighborhoods have entered their sixth full week of disobedience, according to [terrestres.org]. Similar youth movements have emerged in Italy, Spain, Albania, Serbia, and India, SenePlus reported.
Students are demanding the right to study in dignified conditions and protesting against inequality, SenePlus noted. An economist at the OFCE department at Sciences Po warned that political decisions are undermining the fundamental right to education.
In France, universities face criticism over rising fees for students from outside the European Union. Those non-EU students must pay fees roughly 16 times higher than their European peers, a policy set under the Lecornu government in September 2025, according to SenePlus.
Protesters use humor and resilience to face school budget cuts
Mounting a high school blockade requires street arts, endurance through sleep deprivation and cold weather, and resilience against police intervention, [terrestres.org] reported. Protesters use carnivalesque humor, Palestinian and French flags, and slogans to mock police presence.
Protests arise from severe budget cuts inside French schools. Schools have canceled afternoon snacks due to cash flow issues, distributed survival blankets to boarding students for technical reasons, and canceled school trips over security concerns, [terrestres.org] noted.
Mental health pressures and precarious conditions compound these frustrations. “We completely neglect the mental health of young people, employees, and everyone else,” Hector, a 21-year-old temp worker, told made in perpignan.
Junior, an 18-year-old boxing trainee, criticized the traditional academic path. “Actually, school is useless, or rather, the state sells us the guarantee that the more diplomas you have, the more you succeed. And that’s false,” he told made in perpignan.
International Clashes Over Academic Freedom
Tensions in education extend beyond French secondary schools to higher education governance. In October 2025, nine prominent public and private US universities received an ultimatum from the Trump administration to accept an academic excellence pact in exchange for federal funds, the Wall Street Journal revealed via SenePlus.
The proposed pact sought to cap foreign student enrollment at 15% and ban employee commentary on social and political events, SenePlus reported. Only a single university accepted the terms.
Back in France, students continue blockading peripheral high schools despite administrative threats and police interventions. [terrestres.org] said that parental pressure and judicial consequences will eventually close this utopian parenthesis.
“My father was a very closed-off person,” Clément, a 28-year-old seasonal cheesemaker, told made in perpignan while discussing the emotional toll carried by young workers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Student Protests
Why did French high school blockades start?
Protests began in late September due to severe budget cuts, canceled school trips, and deteriorating conditions in working-class suburban schools, [terrestres.org] reported.
How do international student fees compare in France?
Non-EU students face registration fees roughly 16 times higher than European Union students following policy changes introduced under the Lecornu government, according to SenePlus.
What were the terms of the US academic pact in 2025?
The Trump administration demanded that universities cap foreign student numbers at 15% and restrict political commentary from employees in exchange for federal funds, SenePlus reported.
How do young workers view the value of traditional schooling?
Some young workers feel the state’s promise linking degrees to guaranteed success is false, pushing them to seek direct paths to employment, made in perpignan reported.