Emerging from a meeting with government officials, the students said the proposals included capping the size of some classes, loans for renovating schools and the replacement of a university admissions system they saw as unfair
International News via Reuters:
French student leaders said the government had offered a package of education proposals on Monday in response to weeks of street protests, but vowed to keep demonstrating as the measures had fallen short of their demands.
Emerging from a meeting with government officials, the students said the proposals included capping the size of some classes, loans for renovating schools and the replacement of a university admissions system they saw as unfair.
“Not all our demands were met. We’ll go on for as long as it takes,” Louis Letoublon, one of the representatives of high school students, said.
There was no immediate confirmation of the education proposals from the government. A press conference to announce the details was delayed.
There were no immediate details on how much funding any such education package would require. The hands of President Emmanuel Macron’s minority government are tied by national debt approaching 120% of GDP and high new borrowing needs already making it difficult to agree a budget for next year.
The protests, initially triggered by student discontent, have shown little sign of easing after violence nine days ago engulfed dozens of cities, leading to fears the state had lost control of the streets.
The movement has since expanded, drawing in trade unions and “yellow vest” activists, known for their high-visibility jackets and mass demonstrations against economic pressures including high fuel costs.
Earlier, Macron acknowledged it was likely there would be more unrest this weekend ahead of a bigger nationwide day of protests set for November 5.
On a tour to survey the damage in Marseille and to thank emergency services after Saturday’s protests, he said he would keep security measures in place and work to move protests outside city centres.
The unrest and the sense among many French that authorities are struggling to keep the peace have further boosted the poll ratings of far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, already the frontrunner in next year’s presidential election.
An opinion poll published Sunday put her on 32%-33.5%, well ahead of her nearest rival, hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon on 17%. Surveys suggest she would easily defeat Melenchon in a run-off ballot, expected to be held in early May.
FAR-RIGHT GANGS CONFRONT FAR-LEFT ACTIVISTS
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez earlier said 1,435 people were arrested nationwide during demonstrations on Saturday and that police had also recorded a new phenomenon, with organised far-right gangs confronting far-left activists in several cities.
“We knew there had been calls from numerous identity-based and nationalist movements to come out, officially, to defend businesses,” he said. “In a number of cities, such as Nice and Montpellier, these groups arrived in organised formations, mainly to target the ultra-left movement.”
A selloff in French government bonds paused on Monday after the country’s sovereign debt was spared a ratings downgrade on Friday by rating agency Moody’s.
But business leaders said the unrest was continuing to inflict heavy economic damage despite a calmer weekend.
Alain Di Crescenzo, head of the CCI France network of chambers of commerce and industry, said many retailers had remained closed as a precaution after the violence of October 17, adding that sales had fallen by about 80%.
“We have shopkeepers who are tired and demoralised, and we are killing local commerce,” he told Radio Classique.
Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta, Makini Brice and Inti Landauro; Writing by Mark John; Editing by Toby Chopra and Andrew Heavens
