Nearly 90,000 students, staff, and parents have taken to the streets in cities across France today, 6 October 2026, in a nationwide day of action. Protesters blockaded hundreds of high schools, raising concerns about long hours, missing teachers, and crumbling classrooms.
The French interior ministry stated that 86,000 people participated in marches in cities such as Marseille, Nantes, and Lyon this morning. Up to 40,000 additional protesters are anticipated to join the largest demonstration in Paris later today.
The protests follow a fortnight of demonstrations that began in Paris's northern suburbs and have since spread. The national union of lycée students reported that 1,800 of the country's 3,700 high schools were either blockaded or closed for the day.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has instructed his ministers to address the students' main demands. These include ensuring absent teachers are replaced, reviewing the 8am to 6pm school day length, and repairing ageing school buildings.