What’s behind French student protests that turned violent?

Key Points:

• Protests over crowded classrooms, teacher shortages, and long school days have spread across France, leading to over 400 detentions, many of them minors, amid clashes between students and police using tear gas and batons.
• The protests began in Paris high schools last week and have expanded nationwide, with students citing poor school conditions, large class sizes, and exhausting schedules as key grievances, exacerbated by recent heatwaves revealing inadequate infrastructure.
• The unrest coincides with a public sector strike against government budget cuts, including proposed salary freezes for state employees, linking student and teacher frustrations over resource shortages and staffing issues.
• Political leaders are divided, with Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu condemning the violence and accusing opponents of escalating tensions, while left-wing leader Jean-Luc Melenchon criticized the government's crackdown and called for protecting youth.
• The protests occur amid broader social discontent over public services and economic pressures ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with experts warning that unrest could spread to universities due to ongoing underfunding.