08/10/2026 Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
Saskia Kluit (Netherlands, SOC), Chairperson of the PACE Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development, made the following statement today:
“The wave of protests and school blockages led by high school students in France who are demanding a better school education system has continued now for several days. I would like to express my concern and sadness at the injuries sustained by both the pupils and the police officers, and urge for calm and dialogue.
The PACE resolution adopted in 2025 recognises social mobilisation as an essential component of democratic vitality and stresses the importance of listening to young people and building relationships based on respect and trust between them and public institutions.
It calls on member states to place dialogue and mediation at the heart of policing demonstrations, prioritise de-escalation and limit the use of intermediate weapons to a strict minimum. It also calls for such weapons to be reserved for specialised, properly trained units and for a review of a possible total ban on defence ball launchers (LBDs) in public-order policing.
These principles should guide the response to students’ mobilisation in France. Young people calling for better education are a positive sign of their engagement in democracy and in their own futures. Their voices must be listened to, and their right to peaceful protest respected.
Restoring trust and preventing an escalation of violence require listening, dialogue and mediation before, during and after demonstrations.”