Students protest and public sector workers strike ahead of French budget

French high school students blockaded dozens of schools and public sector workers went ​on strike on Tuesday, voicing discontent with planned budget cuts ahead of next year's presidential election.
Seven months before the election, and just ‌two days before the government unveils its 2027 budget draft, opinion polls consistently show the deep unpopularity of President Emmanuel Macron and his centre-right-leaning government. The student protests have been gaining momentum over the past days, as pupils decry overcrowded classrooms and teacher shortages. The Education Ministry said more than 330 high schools — a bit less than 1 in 10 — were affected, French media reported.
Garbage ​containers were set ablaze outside a school in Lille and riot police kept watch over a student protest in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis. ​About 40 protesters were arrested, Le Parisien said.
PROTEST BANNERS OUTSIDE SCHOOLS
A placard reading "Macron explosion" was displayed outside the Arago school in ⁠Paris, where students, some with their faces covered, sat on dumpsters to block the entrance. A banner in front of the Helene-Boucher school said "Fewer cops, More ​money".