Politics · France · 1 hr ago
French student protesters compare experiences with activists from 1986 and 2006
A current French high-school protest movement was the focus of a meeting in Paris between three people from different generations of activism.
Nathanaël Combary, a student activist, spoke with David Assouline, who protested a university reform in 1986, and Julie Coudry, a leader of protests against a youth employment contract in 2006.
The earlier protests opposed specific government measures, while Coudry said the current movement is putting forward constructive changes it wants to see.
Combary said his generation has struggled to get its demands and proposed solutions heard, and wondered whether the movement could stay active after school holidays.
Coudry said holidays can help protesters coordinate, while Assouline advised them to focus on a clear, concrete demand.
High-school students were due to gather again in Paris on 13 October, but the account does not say what happens to the movement after that.
Franceinfo brought together activists from student and high-school protests in 1986, 2006 and 2026 to compare their experiences.
David Assouline had opposed the Devaquet law, which proposed selection for university entry.
Julie Coudry had been a leader of the 2006 movement against the first-job contract, or CPE.
Nathanaël Combary is currently involved in the high-school protest movement and said activists were less organised than their predecessors.
Coudry said the current movement’s strength was its constructive focus on changes protesters want to see.
- Who
- David Assouline, Julie Coudry and Nathanaël Combary.
- What
- They met to share experiences of student and high-school protest movements across three generations.
- When
- The meeting was reported on 13 October 2026.
- Where
- At Place de la République and in a café in Paris.
- Why
- Franceinfo brought them together to discuss the current high-school protest movement in light of earlier campaigns.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
David Assouline took part in protests against the Devaquet law, which proposed selection for university entry.
Julie Coudry was involved in the three-month movement against the CPE.
High-school students gathered at Place de la République in Paris for the start of a demonstration.
Franceinfo brought together Assouline, Coudry and Combary to discuss their protest experiences.
- Meeting
- David Assouline, Julie Coudry and Nathanaël Combary
- 1986 protest
- Opposition to the Devaquet law
- 2006 protest
- Opposition to the first-job contract (CPE)
- CPE movement duration
- Three months
- Demonstration location
- Place de la République, Paris
- Current protest
- High-school movement in 2026
What people are saying
I was struck to see the same joy, the same lights on the young people’s faces and in their eyes.
A concrete demand.
I think we are much less organised than you.
The strength of your movement is also that it is positive.
Sources
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