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A noble struggle
Young people want a say in the future, notes Le Quotidien:
“The world has changed and become even more competitive than it was in the late 2000s. Everything has deteriorated. And we’re not just talking about education. The world of work has become a jungle in some sectors, where employees are merely cogs to be exploited to the full before being discarded because they are less competitive than artificial intelligence. Young French people are therefore saying ‘enough is enough’, and their Belgian peers have joined them in taking to the streets in recent weeks. They want decent jobs, and they don’t want to feel the chains tightening around them, dragging them towards a future they did not choose. This is a noble struggle, but its outcome remains highly uncertain.”
Biased media coverage
Erasmus student Calypso Baroin explains the protests from her perspective on ERR Online:
“When I follow the media coverage, I see that it focuses primarily on violence, immigration and the damage caused. As a young French student who has experienced the problems that led to the unrest, I would like to share a different perspective. I do not expect Estonian journalists to support all the protesters’ demands or ignore the violence or the damage. However, the media must make an effort to explain the root causes of the unrest and the demands put forward by these young people. And, where necessary, disproportionate responses by the police and the authorities should be recognised as such, rather than focusing solely on the images that have attracted the most attention.”
Highlighting neglected issues
The protest is bringing all those who feel neglected together, L’Humanité notes:
“Faced with the damning testimonies of teenagers left without teachers and treated with contempt, the government can no longer push through its austerity agenda with its usual casual indifference. It bears responsibility for this decade of destruction in the public education sector. We owe a debt of gratitude to these united and courageous young people for making this destruction tangible and glaringly obvious. But we also should be grateful to them for uniting their cause with those of other victims of Macronism who are struggling with high prices, deprivation and rampant xenophobia. This momentum could change everything. A powerful social movement could put demands for equality, tax justice and environmental protection back at the centre of the debate.”
Time to take a stand!
The Süddeutsche Zeitung wonders why there are no demonstrations in Germany:
“For years, people have been complaining about the dire situation in schools – yet little is being done. There are teacher shortages everywhere. Even the conference of German education ministers, which is not suspected of downplaying the problem, estimates that 50,000 posts will be unfilled by 2035. And even today in many places there are not enough teachers to cover the standard curriculum, let alone special needs in the areas of inclusion or languages. … Some schools are in such disrepair that their outer walls have to be secured with safety netting. … The protests in France make you want to cry out to German teachers and students: Take a stand! Without resorting to violence, of course. But stand up for your rights! The time has come.”