Why French Teenagers Are Setting Fire to Their Schools
2nd October 2026
There are many reasons teenagers resent going to school. Early starts, no access to their phones, too much homework.
But in France, these frustrations have prompted a wave of violent youth protests, and the hard-Left, which needs the young to carry them in the next election, have been blamed for fanning the flames.
With the country bracing for fresh violence on Thursday, the protests have become a controversial political issue among presidential contenders eight months before Emmanuel Macron steps down.