How French Protests About Schools Became Protests About Everything

Over the weekend, France had its worst day of urban violence in years. The protests began a month ago among high school students who complained about school conditions and budget cuts. At the same time, the government announced that 25-30 percent of the education budget would go to pensions. Unrest quickly spread around the country and, according to CFR expert Matthias Matthijs, “a protest about schools became a protest about everything, from the cost of living to higher diesel prices and government austerity.” Matthijs explains how France got here, what could come next, and how the situation could benefit France’s far right. Subscribe to our (Source: Council on Foreign Relations | Region: Paris, France)