President Emmanuel Macron said students staging the blockades have "legitimate" grievances, though a government spokeswoman added on Wednesday that he believes the protesters are being "exploited" by political forces while calling for concrete responses to the unrest. Nearly 200 high schools, or just under 4% nationwide, remained closed Wednesday as the government promised proposals to reform the Parcoursup university admissions system.
The protests, now in their third week, began over teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and deteriorating buildings despite a government pledge to deploy 3,000 substitute teachers. Right-wing leader Marine Le Pen has accused Jean-Luc Mélenchon's far-left France Unbowed party of fueling the unrest, while the party noted that more than 100,000 people have signed a petition to ban explosive grenades and lethal restraint techniques used by police during the demonstrations.