Geffray Announces €4bn Loan for School Repairs as Students Vow to Keep Protesting

The French government has pledged a €4 billion loan to regional authorities to repair damaged school buildings, according to education minister Édouard Geffray. The announcement came on Monday as the government attempted to defuse a youth protest movement that has persisted for over five weeks.

Student leaders rejected the proposal. Pierre Sourzat of the Les Lycéens union told France Info television that the group was in a power struggle with the state. He said the union needed to continue mobilizing to meet its demands. Sourzat stated, “We want measures, not half measures.”

The unrest began in September when high school pupils started barricading their schools. They demanded an end to teacher shortages and repairs to buildings suffering from collapsing ceilings, mold, broken toilets, and windows that would not shut. The movement has since expanded. Trade unions and cost-of-living protesters have joined regular mass street demonstrations held on Saturdays.

Geffray acknowledged the severity of the infrastructure issues. He described some schools as “not fit” for teaching. The €4 billion loan is intended to allow regional authorities to begin repair work immediately.

The government also proposed changes to class sizes. Geffray said that for 15-year-olds in their first year of high school, class sizes will be capped at 28 students. This limit will apply to the 50% of schools in the lowest-income areas. The cap will extend to all high schools next year. The government also plans to create more teaching posts and review the French baccalaureate system.

Changes to university admissions are also in the works. The Parcoursup application platform, which critics describe as opaque and unfair, will be changed in 2027. A new system will replace it in 2028. Parliament is scheduled to debate the issue on Wednesday. Higher education minister Philippe Baptiste said 15,000 extra student places would be created in higher education, with a focus on vocational courses.

Louis Letoublon, who met with prime minister Sébastien Lecornu on behalf of Les Lycéens, said the government had shown it was listening. He noted that not all demands were met. Letoublon said, “We’ll go on for as long as it takes.” Baptiste said the government’s door was “open” for further discussions.

Security concerns have intensified since the start of the protests. Several children have been maimed or seriously injured, allegedly by police explosive weapons. Hundreds of children have been arrested and held in police custody. Authorities placed curfews in certain cities and banned some protests following violent clashes on 17 October. That day saw looting, fires, and vandalism of state buildings, which officials described as the worst day of violence in years.

Interior minister Laurent Nuñez reported that ultra-right groups arrived in “organised formations” in cities such as Nice and Montpellier at the weekend. They targeted protesters. Eleven suspects face charges. On Monday, President Emmanuel Macron visited Marseille. He described the next day of street demonstrations on 31 October as a “day of risk.”

Macron said the country was in a state of turmoil six months before a presidential election. He noted that Marine Le Pen is currently leading the polls. Macron said, “We will continue to hold the line.” He added that the movement would subside if the government addressed legitimate expectations and maintained order. Authorities have admitted to security and intelligence failures that allowed the clashes on 17 October to occur.