French school blockades continue despite PM’s pledge to act

French teenagers blockaded some high schools and marched through cities on Thursday after the government promised to address their grievances about teacher shortages and dilapidated school buildings but gave no specific details.

The protest movement, now into its third week, has exposed deep tensions in France between popular demands for investments in deteriorating public services and a cash-strapped ‌government under pressure from bond markets to reduce its debt and deficit.

It has also led to hundreds of arrests, dozens of injuries and a heated debate about the use of force by riot police against teenagers. On Wednesday, the government suspended the use of stun grenades in the policing of the protests.

The education ministry said 224 high schools were closed on Thursday morning, while 151 were partially reopening after closures. It said the number of closures had dropped by 30 per cent compared with Wednesday morning, and that 94 per cent of high schools were either fully or partially open.