PARIS — Facing an escalating wave of student-led protests over deteriorating educational conditions, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu addressed the nation on Tuesday evening, promising a first package of countermeasures by the end of the month.

The demonstrations, which began on September 21 at a high school in the southeastern suburbs of Paris before expanding nationwide, have rapidly transformed into a broader social crisis. On Monday, police estimated 266,000 protesters took to the streets across France, while organizers put the figure at 450,000. Further large-scale rallies are scheduled for Wednesday.

What started as a student movement over school funding and conditions has now drawn in university students, parents, teachers, public sector unions, and farmers. The unrest has tapped into a deep reservoir of public frustration over austerity measures and soaring living costs driven by surging fuel prices. Online calls are already circulating for mass actions on October 17, echoing the "Yellow Vest" movement.

Addressing Student Grievances

In his televised address, Prime Minister Lecornu expressed empathy for the youth, stating, "The anger of our youth did not arise out of nowhere. No one can remain indifferent to the anxiety they express."

To address student demands over the remaining eight months before the presidential election, Lecornu outlined five key areas for review:

-Replacing absent teachers
-Improving school facilities
-Adjusting school schedules
-Reforming Parcoursup (the higher education admission platform)
-Creating structured avenues for student expression

Lecornu noted that a consultation platform launched by the Minister of Education on Sunday had already received over 40,000 submissions, which will help shape the government's initial response later this month.

Regarding demands for increased educational investment, the Prime Minister emphasized that next year's national education budget is set at 64 billion euros (approx. $70 billion USD), an increase of 1.2 billion euros from the previous year, making it one of the few ministries to see a budget hike.

Rising Political and Public Skepticism

Despite the Prime Minister's overtures, the address met with immediate skepticism from political opponents and protest leaders.

Manuel Bompard, a lawmaker from the left-wing France Unbowed (LFI) party, criticized the speech for failing to present "a single concrete measure to address students' anger." Marine Tondelier, leader of the Greens, dismissed the address as a "strategy to buy time."

Meanwhile, high school student union representatives are continuing to demand a direct meeting with the Prime Minister to secure actionable commitments.

In response to criticism from the left regarding alleged heavy-handed policing, Lecornu defended law enforcement, stating that police were never instructed to confront high school students, but rather to protect property and human life under difficult circumstances.

Energy Relief Measures Announced

To help curb the broader economic discontent fueling the protests, Lecornu also announced emergency energy relief measures.

The government plans to release 10 million barrels of diesel from its strategic reserves to French distributors at cost price—fuel that was purchased prior to the recent price spikes. The Prime Minister stated this move should reduce fuel pump prices by 12 to 18 centimes per liter. Additionally, Lecornu urged the state-owned power company to maximize electricity production capacity to prevent winter utility rate hikes.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]