MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
In France, high school students are back to blocking their schools today. They marched across the country yesterday.
A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
The movement started in one high school in a working-class suburb of Paris and quickly spread.
MARTIN: We're going to go now to NPR's Eleanor Beardsley, who's been following this story. Good morning, Eleanor.
ELEANOR BEARDSLEY, BYLINE: Good morning, Michel.
MARTIN: It sounds like this is more than a student protest movement at this point. So what can you tell us?
BEARDSLEY: Well, yeah, it could be. You know, yesterday, hundreds of thousands of young people took to the streets to march in cities across the country, but they were joined by teachers, parents, labor union members. The movement seems to be tapping into a deeper discontent in France over skyrocketing fuel prices, a deeply unpopular president and a general chipping away at the social support system here over recent years. There's also political angst. France has a presidential election in six months, and many fear that far-right candidate Marine Le Pen could become the next president. She's way ahead in the polls. This movement did start at one Paris suburb high school, which is particularly run-down - not enough teachers. This seems to be a common problem in schools, especially in less well-off neighborhoods, so the movement quickly spread.
But, you know, this movement has hit a nerve because it's also about inequalities in the French education system. The French school is important to the French image of themselves. You know, French people grow up hearing that you can become anything you want, no matter who you are, if you apply yourself in l'ecole de la republique - the school of the republic. So it's at the heart of France's democracy and vision of itself as a meritocracy and an egalitarian society. School is about equality of chances, but we've seen that schools are not equal, and this is why you see even elite public schools in the center of cities like Paris out there joining the movement and blockading their schools.
MARTIN: So we have seen some images of violence during these protests. And just tell us how that's all sort of playing out.
BEARDSLEY: That's right. You know, the French were first watching on the news skirmishes between young people and police, and they watched cars and trash cans and even schools burning. At first, the far-right denounced delinquency, but people also saw police aggression. And critics are - from the right and left are accusing the government of reacting too late and then treating it like a problem of urban violence instead of addressing the students' demands. Listen to far-left lawmaker Mathilde Panot lecturing the prime minister yesterday in parliament.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
MATHILDE PANOT: (Speaking French).
BEARDSLEY: She says, "we do not brutalize children and treat young people like a military adversary." And she told him repression and stun grenades would not stop young people from standing up for their futures.
MARTIN: So how is the government going to handle this situation?
BEARDSLEY: This is coming at a horrible time. France has record debt, and today it has higher borrowing costs than Greece and Italy. The government is just finalizing a budget and was going to cut teaching posts, but how can it do that now? It has little wiggle room. The government fears other public sector workers could join the movement, and there could be huge social unrest. So far, this movement seems to be benefiting far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon. He is running for president next spring for the fourth time, and he is milking this for everything it's worth. Listen to this.
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UNIDENTIFIED MUSICAL GROUP: (Singing in French).
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Speaking French).
UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: (Chanting in French).
UNIDENTIFIED MUSICAL GROUP: (Singing in French).
BEARDSLEY: So that's a campaign video he just put out of him at the Paris march yesterday. He's being hugged by young people and acclaimed. The usually grumpy and scowling candidate was all smiles. Meanwhile, students are waiting for a response to their demands, and so far, the government has just put up a platform for them to write their complaints. And it also called for schools to be adjourned Friday so that each establishment can organize a time of, quote, "internal democracy and reflection." And the prime minister is going to speak to the nation tonight. Everyone will be waiting.
MARTIN: That is NPR's Eleanor Beardsley. Eleanor, thank you.
BEARDSLEY: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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