The president of the Les Lycéens! movement, Pierre Sourzat, called on Sunday for the resumption of blockades of high schools from the start of the school holidays, deeming the measures announced by the government insufficient. He regrets that the latter does not tackle several fundamental problems such as the lack of places in higher education or the reduction in class numbers.

Published on: 01/11/2026 - 3:39 p.m. Modified on: 01/11/2026 - 3:41 p.m.

The day after Act III of social mobilization and after a fortnight's vacation, Pierre Sourzat, head of the Lycéens!, called, Sunday, November 1, for a blockade of high schools "from Monday", denouncing the government's "counter policy". The latter unveiled several measures at the start of the week to try to extinguish the anger of young people.

“Of course we are calling for a blockade” and “the high schools will be blocked, starting Monday,” said Pierre Sourzat on RMC.

“It will be more from Tuesday, but we know that there are high schools which will be blocked from tomorrow. And we support all our comrades who are blocking their high schools from tomorrow,” he clarified while the High School Union (USL) and the Student Union called on Saturday to block high schools and universities on Tuesday then Thursday, November 5, an interprofessional strike day.

Emmanuel Macron called on Thursday for classes to resume “calmly”, “taking into account the fact that young people have been heard”.

Also read: Calls for high school mobilization continue despite government announcements

A few days earlier, the Ministers of Education and Higher Education had announced several measures to respond to the high school and student crisis which has now lasted six weeks, including the gradual replacement of the Parcoursup post-baccalaureate admission system by 2028.

The president "did not hear us (...) he gave us almost nothing", retorted Pierre Sourzat. “The government has played counter politics with us. It has looked down on us a little, almost it is making fun of us,” he lambasted.

“Sacrifice” for subsequent generations

Concerning the replacement of Parcoursup, he believes that the reform does not address the basic problem, namely the lack of places in higher education.

According to him, several regions have already indicated that they would not be able to use the loans provided by the government to renovate school buildings, due to lack of financial margins after the reduction in their allocations.

“It’s powder that we put in our eyes. There is a little varnish, but as soon as we scratch, there is nothing left behind,” said Pierre Sourzat.

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The manager also considered insufficient the plan to reduce numbers by class, limited only to second grade classes. “We asked for all classes,” he stressed.

Asked about the duration of the movement, Pierre Sourzat, who is in higher studies, did not set a deadline, believing that it would depend on the government's response.

Recognizing the risk of academic delay for the mobilized high school students, he nevertheless defended the continuation of the protest, recalling that "all social movements that have worked" have required collective mobilization.

“It’s a sacrifice” for future generations, he admitted.

With AFP

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