A fresh wave of strikes and demonstrations is set to sweep France on Tuesday, October 6th, as student unions escalate their protests over educational resources and major teacher unions join the movement in solidarity.
The mobilization, dubbed "act 3" of the ongoing high school protests, follows what student representatives described as a "disappointing" meeting with the education minister on Friday. In response, the Union étudiante and the Union syndicale lycéenne (USL) renewed their calls for coordinated strike action.
Lycée pupils are protesting a wide range of grievances, including severe shortages of teachers and resources, crumbling school infrastructure, the long duration of the school day, and systemic issues with the Parcoursup university admission platform. The unrest has already disrupted education, with numerous high schools remaining closed on Monday due to damage from last week's protests or under administrative and police orders. Further school closures and student blockades are anticipated on Tuesday, which may lead to local road closures around educational institutions.
In Paris, student organizers have scheduled a major demonstration starting at 2:00 p.m. at the Place de la République, where significant traffic disruptions are expected. While some marches are planned in other towns, observers expect most demonstrations to concentrate directly at individual lycées.
The movement has gained substantial backing from educators. Seven major teacher unions—FSU, CGT, FO, CFDT, Unsa, Sud, and Solidaires—have declared their support for the strike. Their participation could lead to class or school closures at both primary and middle school (collège) levels. Parents of primary school children must be notified in advance if their child's teacher intends to strike.
Furthermore, the CGT and Solidaires unions have extended a general strike call to all of their members across various sectors. This broader call aims to support the lycée pupils and denounce what the unions describe as "repression" against the young protesters. While this could impact other industries, widespread disruption outside of education is not currently expected.
The protests have also drawn sharp political reactions. The hard-left La France Insoumise (LFI) party and the French Communist Party have voiced their support for the students, though neither has called for its own political mobilization on Tuesday. LFI leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon characterized the current student movement as a "starting point" for a larger mass mobilization scheduled for October 17th. Manuel Bompard, LFI's parliamentary leader, urged students to "carry on mobilising, but do so calmly and peacefully – these are the conditions for the success of this mobilisation."
The French government has reacted defensively, accusing the hard-left party of "infiltrating" the student protests and provoking violence. Meanwhile, Communist leader Fabien Roussel stated on BFM TV that "if we want to protect our children, (…) we would be well advised to get involved." Roussel noted that he had invited Communist activists to assist youth organizations, help "ensure the safety of the routes," and stand alongside the protesting students.
There are several other strikes planned for later in the month – Calendar: The strikes planned in France this autumn you should know about
