Rentrée, interrupted: The fall season is termed rentrée in France, referring to the return to work and school after summer breaks. But this autumn reset is different: People appear to be afraid France is spiraling into financial crisis, and protests—by students and unionized workers alike—have roiled multiple industries as citizens voice their discontent, with 90,000 or so protesting across the country.
"On Tuesday, teachers and other public workers plan rallies against proposed wage freezes as the government labors to pass a budget," reports The New York Times. "They will join thousands of students who have blockaded schools to protest underfunding that has led to crumbling facilities and a shortage of teachers." Of course, it's not clear to these protesters how increasing funding for public services might deepen the fiscal hole the government finds itself in.
