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French student protests fuel political clash ahead of Presidential vote

France 2428 September 2026, 23:54 UTCFrance

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon traded barbs on Monday over high school students blockading classes to demand more resources. The students cite teacher shortages, deteriorating schools and heavy schedules. The dispute comes ahead of next spring’s presidential election, amid mounting pressure over France’s finances.

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