France Is Burning

The schools of France are currently in flames, with the nation several days into a national bout of student rioting: From the quasi-Belgian northern hub of Lille to the banlieus of Paris to the streets of Marseille, schools are burning, as high school students across the nation have blockaded and rampaged against their schools and anyone unlucky enough to be caught in the crossfire. I know what you’re thinking: Student rioting? In France of all places? The deuce you say!

But there are significantly darker undertones this time. The rioting has only escalated in the last two days. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has called an emergency meeting of the French cabinet and declared a national crisis — far too late, in the opinion of many. The immediate flashpoint for the rioting is still hazy — it seems to have spread via social media, quelle surprise — but the media is universally reporting it as an oh-so-French rebellion by “the kids” against having to work too hard at school. Per The Guardian:

About the Author

Jeffrey Blehar

Jeffrey Blehar is a National Review staff writer living in Chicago. He is also the co-host of National Review’s Political Beats podcast, which explores the great music of the modern era with guests from the political world happy to find something non-political to talk about.

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The schools of France are currently in flames, with the nation several days into a national bout of student rioting: From the quasi-Belgian northern hub of Lille to the banlieus of Paris to the streets of Marseille, schools are burning, as high school students across the nation have blockaded and rampaged against their schools and anyone unlucky enough to be caught in the crossfire. I know what you’re thinking: Student rioting? In France of all places? The deuce you say!

But there are significantly darker undertones this time. The rioting has only escalated in the last two days. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has called an emergency meeting of the French cabinet and declared a national crisis — far too late, in the opinion of many. The immediate flashpoint for the rioting is still hazy — it seems to have spread via social media, quelle surprise — but the media is universally reporting it as an oh-so-French rebellion by “the kids” against having to work too hard at school. Per The Guardian:

About the Author

Jeffrey Blehar

Jeffrey Blehar is a National Review staff writer living in Chicago. He is also the co-host of National Review’s Political Beats podcast, which explores the great music of the modern era with guests from the political world happy to find something non-political to talk about.