French school protests send shivers down the government's spine

Since the infamous protests of 1968, French governments have understood the power of young people taking to the streets. It is a piece of wisdom that all French leaders heed: young people on the street equals trouble. Since the student protests of May 1968—memorably described by President De Gaulle as chienlit (bed defecation, or chaos)—every government has run scared of angry French youth. Why? Because youth movements are unpredictable and shapeless, often with no clear structure to negotiate with. When they protest, other groups join in. Additionally, as they are young, the public tends to sympathize. If the police mess up and cause injury or worse, the consequences are incalculable. With presidential elections only months away, governments tread very carefully when la jeunesse en colère (angry youth) is at the barricades.

Currently, French teenagers are at the barricades. While they may not appear visibly angry—the mood is more one of excitement—they certainly have the government of President Emmanuel Macron in what Le Monde called "the cold sweats." A movement that started nearly two weeks ago in the low-income Seine-Saint-Denis area of northern Paris has recently spread across the country.

On Thursday, the high point so far, hundreds of lycées (where 15-18 year-olds finish their schooling) were blockaded. By Friday, the situation had improved, but around 400 lycées were closed to protect staff and students. Universities are beginning to join in, and violence has erupted. On Thursday, the main hall of a lycée in Nantes was destroyed by fire, and smaller fires were lit at school entrance gates across the country, resulting in millions of euros in damage.