Macron convenes emergency meeting over French student protests
In short
French President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency meeting with ministers on the evening of 6 October over nationwide student protests, with Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and education minister Édouard Geffroy taking part. The protests began on 21 September at a lycée in Créteil near Paris and spread across the country, with riots, arson and about 400 schools closed, according to Kommersant. Prime Minister Lecornu told the National Assembly that 215 students and 85 education staff were injured, the highest such figure for education staff in decades, Interfax reported.
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French President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency meeting with several ministers on the evening of 6 October over protests by school students, BFMTV reported, citing the presidential entourage. RIA Novosti, TASS and Interfax all reported the meeting. Kommersant said Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, interior minister Laurent Nunez and education minister Édouard Geffroy would take part; TASS and Interfax named only Lecornu and Geffroy. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
According to Kommersant, the first protests began on 21 September at the Lycée Saint-Exupéry in Créteil, a suburb of Paris, and later spread across the country, developing into unrest. Protesters fired fireworks at police and carried out arson and looting, Kommersant reported. Students say they are dissatisfied with overcrowded classes, a shortage of teachers, the poor condition of school buildings and overloaded schedules. Interfax reported that the protests centre on demands for fundamental reform of the education system and better study conditions. [ 2 , 4 ]
Casualty figures differ between the documents. Interfax reported that Lecornu, speaking to deputies of the National Assembly, said 215 students and 85 education staff, including 34 headteachers and their deputies, were injured in the unrest, which he called the worst figures for education staff in decades. Kommersant said the education minister put the number of injured schoolchildren at about 200, and separately reported that 170 students and 78 education staff had been injured since the start of the demonstrations. [ 2 , 4 ]
Kommersant also reported that more than 5,000 people had been detained during the protests and that about 400 schools across the country were closed for safety reasons and because buildings were blockaded. The government asserts that far-left groups linked to Jean-Luc Mélenchon's La France Insoumise are behind the radicalisation of the protests, according to Kommersant. [ 2 ]
The documents do not report the outcome of the emergency meeting, which they describe as scheduled for the evening of 6 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The protests have moved from a single school to nationwide demonstrations with injuries, detentions and school closures, and the French president has responded with an emergency ministerial meeting. The documents do not report the outcome of that meeting, and casualty figures differ between outlets, so the scale and the government's next steps remain open.
Key facts
- Macron convened an emergency meeting with ministers on the evening of 6 October over student protests, BFMTV reported, citing the presidential entourage. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and education minister Édouard Geffroy were named as participants. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The first protests began on 21 September at the Lycée Saint-Exupéry in Créteil, a Paris suburb, and later spread nationwide. [ 2 ]
- Students cite overcrowded classes, teacher shortages, poor condition of school buildings and overloaded schedules. [ 2 , 4 ]
- Lecornu said 215 students and 85 education staff, including 34 headteachers and their deputies, were injured, calling it the worst figure for education staff in decades. [ 4 ]
- Kommersant reported about 400 schools were closed and more than 5,000 people detained during the protests. [ 2 ]
- The government says far-left groups linked to Jean-Luc Mélenchon's La France Insoumise are behind the radicalisation of the protests, Kommersant reported. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Macron convened an emergency meeting with ministers on the evening of 6 October in response to student protests. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and education minister Édouard Geffroy took part. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Protests by French school students and students spread from mid-September and included nationwide demonstrations and violent incidents. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The protesters demand changes to the education system and better study conditions. [ 2 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- How many people were injured during the protests. The documents give differing figures: Kommersant reports the education minister's figure of about 200 schoolchildren injured and separately 170 students and 78 education staff; Interfax reports Lecornu's figures of 215 students and 85 education staff.
- Whether interior minister Laurent Nunez attended the meeting. Only Kommersant names him among the participants; RIA Novosti, TASS and Interfax do not.
- The government's claim that far-left groups tied to La France Insoumise are behind the radicalisation. It is reported only by Kommersant as a government assertion, without supporting evidence in the documents.
- The outcome of the emergency meeting. All documents were published before the meeting took place and none reports its results.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- RIA Novosti reports that Macron has convened an emergency meeting over student protests. [ 1 ]
- Kommersant reports the meeting will take place on the evening of 6 October with Lecornu, Nunez and Geffroy. [ 2 ]
- TASS reports Macron will hold the meeting with Lecornu and Geffroy. [ 3 ]
- Interfax reports Lecornu's casualty figures, given to the National Assembly. [ 4 ]