France Pledges University Admissions Changes, but Only After Macron Leaves Office

France has pledged new university admissions rules, but they would take effect only after President Emmanuel Macron leaves office, PBS NewsHour reported on October 26, 2026. The pledge is one of several government responses to a wave of student protests that has spread across the country this month.

Student leaders have said they will keep protesting despite the government's concessions on education. Two high school student groups welcomed some of those concessions but called for demonstrations to continue, according to PBS NewsHour, ABC News and The Boston Globe. On the same day, a French minister warned that protests planned for Halloween could turn violent, Reuters reported.

The unrest began in early October. On October 1, student protesters set fires at a minimum of two high schools, and teachers at a third school in southern France were splashed with petrol, Reuters reported. The next day, riot police clashed with high school students in several parts of France, and unions called on teachers to strike, according to Reuters.

Students have cited a range of grievances. Among them are staff shortages, rats in school corridors, and the university admissions system, France 24 reported. Teenagers blockaded some high schools, meaning they kept others from getting into the buildings, and marched through cities in nationwide protests about conditions in schools.

By October 8, the blockades had continued even after promises made by the prime minister, Reuters reported. The admissions pledge announced on October 26 is the most recent government step, and its timing means any change to university entry would come under a future president.