French student protests continue in Lille as government says debt limits its options

Student protesters called for another day of mobilisation across France, including in the northern city of Lille, as high school students and supporters kept up pressure on the government.

The government has tried to show it is listening by opening a portal for students to submit complaints. Students have raised concerns about classroom conditions, including overcrowding.

But the French government has also stressed how difficult its budgetary situation is. France has a public debt problem, with a deficit of almost 5.5 percent, well above the European Union’s fiscal responsibility limit of around 3 percent.

That response does not appear to have convinced protesters in Lille or elsewhere in the country. They say they will keep showing up and point to another nationwide day of mobilisation next week.

Al Jazeera’s Rosie Birchard reports from Lille.

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