France's student rallies, now in their third week after violent clashes with police, mass school closures and thousands of arrests, are expected to resume on Thursday. The movement, which began in Paris over teacher shortages, lengthy timetables and derelict schools, has spread nationwide and drawn support from people of various ages.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said officials would use the pause to open dialogue with students, adding that demands must be assessed objectively, school by school. "Substitutes, the state of the buildings, guidance, organization of school time, high school democracy: all topics must be put on the table," he wrote on social media. He cautioned that conversations must be held "without giving in to politicized manipulations." Lecornu's government has accused the radical-left party La France Insoumise of hijacking the student movement, with some party politicians publicly backing the protests.
The unrest has highlighted France's deeper economic challenges. In the coming weeks, the government must convince a divided National Assembly — including the far-right National Rally, the left-wing New Popular Front and Lecornu's centre-right grouping — to agree to a fiscal adjustment worth tens of billions of euros. Since the July 2024 snap election delivered no parliamentary majority, budget disputes have ousted two administrations. Lecornu only passed the 2026 budget in February by using emergency legislation to bypass parliament.
Further political shifts are expected ahead of next spring's presidential election, with far-right candidate Marine Le Pen currently the frontrunner. Le Pen has pledged to cut the deficit to 3% within 18 months of winning, but critics question the feasibility of her plans. France's budget deficit topped 5.1% of GDP last year.
The political instability and doubts over the minority government's capacity to deliver spending cuts have rattled investors. Yields on French government bonds have surged to multi-decade highs this year, raising concerns about a possible sovereign debt crisis.