France promises to replace its university admissions after riots and
thousands of arrests
[October 27, 2026]
By THOMAS ADAMSON and SYLVIE CORBET
PARIS (AP) — France’s government pledged Monday to replace its national
online university admissions platform, seeking to quell student anger
after weeks of often violent mass protests over education and living
costs.
Higher Education Minister Philippe Baptiste announced “substantial
change” to the platform next year, before its replacement in 2028.
Ministers also pledged up to 4 billion euros ($4.5 billion) in loans for
school renovations, alongside smaller classes, more teaching and higher
education posts and increased student grants.
The concessions target the school grievances that helped ignite the
unrest.
But the movement has widened to include workers demanding relief from
rising living costs, making the government’s task tougher than simply
resolving a dispute over university admissions.
The promises came after a turbulent few weeks
The announcements followed France’s worst unrest in years on Oct. 17,
when demonstrations over school funding and rising living costs
descended into rioting and looting across the country.
Groups of protesters set fires, looted shops, clashed with police and
attacked public buildings, briefly storming Marseille’s City Hall and
setting Limoges’ 19th-century town hall ablaze. The fire brought down
the Limoges building’s roof and clock tower.
About 2,400 people were arrested in connection with the demonstrations,
in which hundreds of thousands marched peacefully.
Two high school student groups welcomed some concessions, but called for
protests to continue. Their representatives spoke after meeting with
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu earlier Monday.
“We have managed to address some of the students’ demands,” said
Nathanaël Combary of the high school group Renouveau Lycéen. “I
emphasize the term ‘some.’”
Other representatives were more critical. “We have received crumbs
compared to what we are asking for,” said Clément Vieillot of the
Mouvement Cachan 94 student group.
He pointed to students’ demand for 250,000 more university places,
compared with the government’s pledge of 15,000 additional places in
higher education.
Further demonstrations are planned.
Admissions changes will fall to the next president
The 2028 deadline puts a central concession to protesters beyond
President Emmanuel Macron’s time in office, leaving his successor’s
government to deliver it.
Macron can’t seek a third consecutive term in 2027, and far-right leader
Marine Le Pen leads polling before the first round of presidential
voting on April 18. A winner-takes-all runoff is scheduled for May 2.
Le Pen's National Rally party has sought to capitalize on the unrest,
presenting itself as a force for law and order and urging voters to
channel their anger into support for her presidential bid.
The university admissions replacement system still has to be designed,
and legal changes may be needed — leaving crucial decisions unresolved
even as the government seeks to persuade students to end their protests.
The platform, called Parcoursup, allows students to apply to
universities and other higher education courses and receive admissions
decisions. A record 1.05 million people applied through it this year,
according to the Higher Education Ministry.
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French President Emmanuel Macron addresses the media in Marseille,
France, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, Pool)
It has been a focus of the protests, with students criticizing
unclear selection criteria and unequal access to their preferred
courses.
French government commits to education reforms
For the 2027 admissions round, institutions would publish more
detailed selection criteria. The platform would provide explanatory
information with each rejection, and institutions would have to give
applicants the reasons for their decisions if requested.
A committee involving students and teachers would produce initial
recommendations for the replacement system by the end of November.
The government said that it would introduce legislation if the
proposed changes require it.
The government also promised 15,000 additional places in higher
education across 2027 and 2028, mostly in vocational and technical
programs, and increases in student grants linked to inflation from
the start of the 2027 academic year.
To address demands for better learning conditions, the government
pledged to cap some first-year high school classes at 28 students
from 2027, starting with more disadvantaged schools. It also
promised to cancel planned cuts to teaching positions at secondary
schools and create 500 additional jobs.
The building plans would extend still further into the next
presidency. The government proposed up to 4 billion euros ($4.5
billion) in low-interest loans to regional authorities for school
renovations through 2030. A separate 1 billion-euro ($1.1 billion)
state plan would fund university renovations through 2029.
Violence has lessened
Another round of nationwide demonstrations on Saturday saw less
violence. Authorities estimated turnout at 410,000, while organizers
put it at nearly 800,000.
Authorities deployed 70,000 police officers and gendarmes to prevent
a repeat of the previous weekend’s widespread destruction. Interior
Minister Laurent Nuñez said Monday that 1,435 people had been
arrested nationwide in connection with the latest weekend’s
protests.
Earlier Monday, the French president promised “concrete measures” to
address students’ demands during a visit to the southern port city
of Marseille.
“I have asked the government to address the legitimate demands at
the root of this protest movement,” Macron said.
Macron and his centrist government have faced criticism for failing
to address students’ grievances since high school blockades began in
mid-September. The protests have led to mass arrests and scrutiny of
police riot control weapons blamed for life-changing injuries
suffered by some teenagers.
The demands for better-resourced schools, particularly in poorer
communities, come as France grapples with record poverty and record
public debt.
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Nicolas Garriga and Jeffrey Schaeffer contributed
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