Pupils, students and yellow vests converge

Protests are planned across France on Saturday, 17 October, bringing together groups that have so far marched separately. Thousands of pupils and students have been on the streets of Paris since Tuesday, 6 October, demanding better facilities, more teachers and a transparent selection process. Most universities in the capital have been shut for more than a week because of blockades, some for the first time since 1968. Organisers want the day to merge these demands with those of workers and the yellow vests, whose 2018 protest against fuel price rises grew into a months-long movement. Online interest has surged, with nearly 460,000 posts about '17 October' on French social media since 27 September, according to data research commissioned by Le Monde.

Who is joining

Farmers' unions, fire service staff, taxi drivers and nurses have announced their own actions, according to NOS. The education, fishing and nursing sections of the CGT union have signed on, and the Confédération Paysanne, the second-largest farmers' union, has called for participation. Several prominent figures from the 2018-19 yellow vest movement have backed the protests and urged farmers, refuse collectors and firefighters to join. Jerome Rodrigues, one of those figures, argued that action across the whole country, not only in Paris, would stop police from concentrating on the capital. Frederik Dhondt, a France expert, said violence could play into the hands of Marine Le Pen, while journalist Jean-Laurent Cassely said the struggling middle class that forms the core of National Rally support has so far stayed on the sidelines.

Government response

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has already held a crisis meeting, and he has announced another with the relevant ministries for Sunday, 18 October, because the protests could turn violent. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has said police may use all available means, including the disputed stun grenades. Their use was suspended after a pupil lost a hand while picking one up, and on 16 October Nuñez told French radio he could not rule out using them again. He has also warned that traffic on the major roads must not be blocked. The grievances behind the anger include a budget proposal for next year with 54 billion euros in savings measures affecting social security, civil servant pay and pensions.

Expected turnout and blockades

The interior ministry expects 50,000 to 100,000 participants across France, excluding Paris, and 20,000 to 40,000 in the capital, according to de Volkskrant. Nuñez anticipates about ninety demonstrations and five hundred actions nationwide. Counts of announced actions vary, with de Volkskrant reporting more than 1,200 and a website tracking yellow vest actions listing almost 1,300. Organisers have planned to occupy about 150 roundabouts, and hundreds of blockades at fuel stations are also planned. VRT NWS reports about 40,000 angry demonstrators are expected in Paris.

What remains unclear

It is still unclear how many people will turn out, partly because the day coincides with the start of the autumn school holidays. Dhondt framed the key question as who can capture the discontent before the presidential election, about six months away. The outcome of Saturday's action will show whether the school protests can merge with the wider movement.