French students block 49 schools in renewed protest over learning conditions

French students blocked the entrances to 49 high schools on Tuesday, stepping up a protest movement that has grown from demands for better learning conditions into wider demonstrations over the rising cost of living and government policies.

The protests, which began nearly two months ago, have gained momentum in recent weeks, with student organisations and trade unions calling for fresh demonstrations across major French cities to put pressure on the government. France's education ministry said 49 of the country's 3,700 high schools, catering to students aged 15 to 18, were blockaded on Tuesday morning. Authorities also expected several thousand school and university students to take part in a demonstration in Paris later in the afternoon.

The renewed mobilisation follows weeks of unrest, with some demonstrations marred by violence on the outskirts of cities and allegations of police brutality. Last Thursday, around 575,000 people took part in nationwide cost-of-living strikes and protests, according to official figures. Trade unions, however, estimated participation at 1.5 million. In a joint statement issued on Monday, student and teacher unions urged supporters to intensify the movement, arguing that the government's response had failed to address their concerns.

"Now is the time to step up the mobilisation by continuing to put pressure on the government," the unions said. Student association leader Ryad Rani said maintaining pressure was essential, stressing that the campaign extended beyond students' immediate concerns. "We're not just fighting for ourselves. We're fighting for teachers, for their working conditions," he said. The government has announced several measures in response, including plans to gradually replace the online platform used to manage access to higher education and allocate additional financial resources to some of the country's most disadvantaged schools.

However, student groups remain dissatisfied, arguing that the steps announced so far do not go far enough to address the problems facing schools and their staff. Trade unions have also criticised the government's response to growing economic pressures. On Monday, one union leader dismissed a government pledge to raise the minimum wage by 0.6% on top of the standard inflation adjustment as "crumbs".

Unions have called for another nationwide day of strikes and demonstrations on November 17. The unrest comes as France faces mounting pressure to rein in public debt, limiting the government's ability to meet protesters' demands through additional public spending. The political tensions also come ahead of next year's elections to replace President Emmanuel Macron.