Sébastien Lecornu addresses student protests while cutting €54 billion budget

France’s prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, has been forced to intervene in a growing education crisis as students stage a nationwide protest on Tuesday, demanding faster responses to class cancellations, better school facilities and a transparent university admissions system. The unrest follows two weeks of demonstrations that have turned violent in several cities, prompting the education minister, Edouard Geffray, to meet student leaders on Friday without reaching an agreement. Lecornu’s letter to his cabinet on Sunday called for concrete proposals on the three issues, while the government prepares to unveil a spending plan later this month.

The protests erupt against a backdrop of an austerity budget that the government submitted to parliament last Thursday as part of its 2027 fiscal plan. France’s deficit is projected to fall from 5.4 % of GDP this year to 5 % in 2027, but the EU’s excessive‑deficit procedure forces Paris to cut spending sharply. The draft calls for €54 billion in reductions across state, local and regional budgets, with €5.5 billion expected from pension reforms and further cuts in health care. The budget is intended to reassure financial markets and signal responsibility, yet it arrives as students and teachers demand more investment in schools.

Analysts say the budget reflects a political gamble. Eileen Keller of the Franco‑German Institute described it as “an austerity budget” that aims to bring the deficit closer to the EU’s 3 % ceiling. The government plans to trim spending not only at the national level but also in local authorities and the social sector, a move that could deepen public discontent. Lecornu’s coalition lacks a parliamentary majority and must rely on opposition votes, a difficult task with presidential elections looming in the spring. The left‑wing La France Insoumise party has been accused of exploiting the protests for political gain, further complicating any consensus.

The next steps will test whether Paris can reconcile fiscal tightening with the urgent needs of its education system. Lecornu has promised to announce funding and a timetable for school upgrades and admissions reforms this month, but the success of those measures hinges on parliamentary approval of the austerity plan. If the budget passes in its current form, the government will have to balance cuts with targeted spending to avoid fueling more unrest ahead of the 2027 elections.