France PM calls crisis meeting as student protests spread nationwide

October 1, 2026 at 06:34 PM2 min

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Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened a crisis meeting on Thursday and canceled ministers' trips as student protests spread across France. Police have made hundreds of arrests and reported dozens of injuries in clashes with high school students. The unrest is becoming a campaign issue ahead of the presidential election next May.

Key Facts

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu asked ministers to cancel official trips in the coming days to focus on the demonstrations.
Police have made 625 arrests during the protests, according to BFMTV.
Authorities reported many dozens of injuries, including from hurled objects and suspected police riot-control projectiles.
The crisis meeting included Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, and Higher Education Minister Philippe Baptiste.

Government Response

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened a crisis meeting on Thursday and canceled ministers' trips to focus on the nationwide spread of protests. The interministerial crisis unit met at 13:00 Paris time, according to BFMTV. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, and Higher Education Minister Philippe Baptiste attended the meeting. The prime minister's office said the cancellations would enable authorities and police to focus on dealing with the demonstrations.

Student Protests

The demonstrations erupted in Paris-region schools last week and have snowballed across the country. High school students are protesting under-resourced schools, long hours, teacher shortages, and other education problems. Police have made hundreds of arrests in clashes with the young protesters, with BFMTV reporting 625 detentions. Authorities have reported many dozens of injuries, including from hurled objects and suspected police riot-control projectiles.

Political Fallout

The protests are quickly blowing up as a hot topic in the election campaign to replace President Emmanuel Macron next May. Macron is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term. Far-left presidential hopeful Jean-Luc Mélenchon has decried the government response to the protests as repressive. His critics have accused Mélenchon's party of seeking to use the unrest to score points in the presidential campaign and of inciting violence.