Politics · France · 1 hr ago
Student protests put young voters on France’s presidential campaign agenda
A new day of student mobilisation is planned across France on 13 October, with gatherings in Paris and other cities to press young people’s demands.
The protests have brought youth issues into the campaign for France’s presidential election next spring.
About 5.5 million voters will be under 25 at the election, while turnout among under-25s in the 2024 legislative elections was 25 percentage points below the 80% rate for people over 70.
Several candidates have responded with proposals: Jean-Luc Mélenchon has called for voting rights from age 16 and the abolition of Parcoursup, while Gabriel Attal has presented a youth pact and Édouard Philippe has made education a priority.
The attention to young voters comes as candidates still seek support from retirees, who have tended to vote more often.
In a separate budget move, a parliamentary committee removed a proposed limit on the 10% tax allowance for taxable pensioners, a measure expected to raise 1.4 billion euros.
The debate highlights pressure to address public debt while persuading older voters to contribute more.
Student protests have pushed young people onto the agenda of France’s presidential campaign.
A new day of mobilization was planned for 13 October in high schools and universities, with rallies in Paris and other cities.
The protests have drawn candidates’ attention to young voters, including 5.5 million people who will be under 25 at next spring’s presidential election.
Candidates cited include Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Gabriel Attal, Édouard Philippe, Raphaël Glucksmann and Sébastien Lecornu.
Older voters remain an important electoral constituency, and candidates continue to court them.
- Who
- High school and university students are mobilizing, while presidential candidates respond to their demands.
- What
- Student protests have brought young people and their concerns onto the presidential campaign agenda.
- When
- A new day of mobilization was planned for 13 October 2026; a protest took place in Nantes on 9 October.
- Where
- High schools and universities, with rallies planned in Paris and many other cities in France.
- Why
- To carry young people’s demands. The article does not specify those demands in detail.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A student mobilization took place in Nantes.
A new day of mobilization was planned in high schools and universities, with rallies in Paris and other cities.
- Young voters
- 5.5 million voters will be under 25 at the presidential election next spring.
- Turnout gap
- Turnout among people over 70 was 80% in the 2024 legislative elections, 25 percentage points higher than among under-25s.
- Jean-Luc Mélenchon
- Proposed lowering the voting age to 16 and abolishing Parcoursup.
- Gabriel Attal
- Set out a proposal he called a new “pact for youth.
- Student protest
- A mobilization took place in Nantes on 9 October 2026.
What people are saying
Unfortunately, our debate in France is too often an old people’s debate about pensions, health and dependency…
a president who speaks to young people because he understands them
Sources
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