Le Figaro says France's school protest was 'down' on Monday; Libération says unions join on Tuesday; Mediapart counts teenagers hurt by police 'by the dozens'

The question. A protest led by French secondary-school students comes as the government works on its 2027 budget and pump prices rise. Is the protest fading or spreading? The four reports we hold split, and none counts the marchers.

Fading. Le Figaro says the protest was "en baisse lundi" (down on Monday). It gives no number. It says the government wants to "avoid new violence" and names no one as causing it.

Spreading. Libération says the unions join on Tuesday 6 October. It says the government fears for "the last budget of the Macron era". Mediapart says a national march is due Tuesday, which Jean-Luc Mélenchon calls a "point de départ" (starting point).

Who caused the injuries. Mediapart says injuries to teenagers from police violence "se comptent par dizaines" (number in the dozens). A second Mediapart report says local bans on protests near schools are spreading "in unprecedented proportion", and some have been ruled illegal. It gives no count of bans.

Not settled. How many students marched on any day. How many were hurt, and by whom: one outlet says "dozens" and none gives a figure. How many bans were issued. What the students want: no report we hold sets out their demands.

What this is. French secondary-school students are protesting while the government tries to pass its budget for 2027, and the unions are joining them.

How it got here. Emmanuel Macron was re-elected president in 2022. The constitution bars a third consecutive term, so his mandate ends in spring 2027. That makes the 2027 budget the last of his presidency, which is why Libération calls it "the last budget of the Macron era".

Macron called a snap parliamentary election in June 2024. It left the National Assembly with no majority. Since then budgets have brought down governments. Michel Barnier's government fell to a censure vote in December 2024 over its budget. François Bayrou lost a confidence vote in September 2025 over his plan to cut the deficit. Macron then named Sébastien Lecornu prime minister. The European Union opened a procedure against France over excessive deficits in 2024, so debt hangs over every budget.

The actors. - The Lecornu government must get the 2027 budget through a divided parliament. - Secondary-school students (lycéens) lead the protest. The reports we hold do not set out their demands. - The trade unions join on Tuesday 6 October, Libération says. - Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the left-wing party La France insoumise, wants the different groups of angry protesters to join up, Mediapart says. - Prefects, the state's representatives in each département, can ban protests in an area. Administrative courts can strike those bans down.

What is at stake. Under the constitution, parliament has 70 days to vote on the budget once it is tabled in the autumn. A wider protest could make a fragile vote harder. Households meanwhile face rising pump prices, Le Figaro says.

Where it stands. On Monday 5 October the outlets disagreed on whether the movement was shrinking. Tuesday's march with the unions is the next test.