French high school students are preparing a new wave of demonstrations on October 13, with which they want to maintain pressure for improving conditions in high schools. The protest movement began in mid-September, and the new day of mobilization could turn out to be, according to AFP, a "turning point" for the campaign.
Most of the participants are between the ages of 15 and 18. They are completing their secondary education in French high schools, in front of which blockades and protest gatherings have been organized in recent weeks.
However, on October 9, authorities reported a sharp decline in the scale of the action. Over 96% of schools have opened their doors, the French Ministry of Education announced. The government sees this as a sign that the protests are gradually losing momentum.
The new demonstrations could change this trend. In parallel with the student campaign, calls for protests on October 17 against the rising cost of living are spreading online. This is increasing the authorities' concerns that individual grievances could merge into a broader social movement.
The memory of the “yellow vests“
For the administration of President Emmanuel Macron, such a scenario is reminiscent of the “yellow vests“ protests that began in 2018 over a planned increase in fuel taxes.
Initially, the movement was linked to fuel prices, but gradually grew into mass demonstrations across France. Clashes between protesters and police followed, shaking the presidential power during Macron's first term.
The upcoming mobilization of high school students will show whether the protests will remain limited to school conditions, or will be linked to broader dissatisfaction with the cost of living. The next date listed in online appeals is October 17.
Sources: news.bg, today.lorientlejour.com