Presidential hopeful Melenchon joins France school protest march

On October 13, 2026, tens of thousands of people across France joined rallies to support protesting high school students demanding better classroom conditions. The Interior Ministry reported that approximately 161,500 participants took part in the demonstrations, more than double the number from the previous week's protests on October 8th. The movement, which started in late September, has seen students block entrances to schools and clash with police, leading to over 70,000 people participating in earlier protests and about 500 arrests.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg joined the demonstrations, adding international attention to the cause. She spoke at a protest north of Paris, stating that "our future is being robbed" as she highlighted issues such as inadequate school funding and dilapidated buildings. The movement has gained support from unions and the far-left opposition France Unbowed party, whose leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon also participated in demonstrations.

The protests are expected to intensify ahead of national cost-of-living demonstrations planned for October 17th, potentially merging with the ongoing student protest movement. This comes amid growing pressure on President Emmanuel Macron's government as his term nears its end and six months before a presidential election. 480,000 people reportedly took part in rallies according to unions, underscoring the mounting street opposition against the current administration. Despite some peaceful demonstrations, violence erupted in certain areas of Paris, with police using tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters.