Macron faces mounting protests from students and yellow-vest demonstrators as his term ends
On October 17, 2026, French students and university pupils joined the yellow-vest movement in fresh demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron’s record as his second term draws to a close.
From mid-September onward, French secondary-school and university students have organised regular rallies, criticizing President Emmanuel Macron’s performance during his double five-year term. On 17 October, they marched in concert with the yellow-vest protesters, seeking a joint front of “young and yellow” activists. The yellow-vest movement, which had compelled the government to backtrack in the winter of 2018-2019, now aligns with a new generation eager for change.
Macron’s 2017 campaign had emphasized his own youth and a promise of renewal, positioning him as a break from older political figures. Historian Jean-François Sirinelli once described Macron as the victorious candidate of a post-baby-boom France, noting the coincidence of the president’s age with the median age of the population at that time. One outlet protests signal a reversal of that narrative, as younger citizens demand a new direction.
Why it matters
The demonstrations reveal deepening disillusionment among French youth, potentially reshaping the political landscape ahead of the next election.
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