French PM promises fully funded answers by month's end as school blockades persist

France's prime minister went on national television Wednesday night to promise everything and specify nothing, and the students blocking the schools noticed.

Sebastien Lecornu told the nation he would deliver "concrete, quick and fully funded" responses to the student movement's demands by late October. He offered no specifics on what those responses would be. The blockades continued Thursday: 224 high schools closed, down about 30 percent from Wednesday, with 94 percent of schools fully or partially open. Student rallies backed by teachers and unions are planned, including at the Place de la Bastille, and unions are organizing a bigger day of protests on October 17. Budget debates open in Parliament on October 13, which is where the money for any of this would have to come from.

The movement's fuel remains the police response. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has suspended the use of stun grenades pending investigation after a 15 year old lost his hand in Lens, acknowledging a "strong possibility" that a grenade caused the injury. Eighteen investigations have been referred to the police inspectorate. More than 450,000 people demonstrated Tuesday, 488 were arrested, more than 40 officers were injured, and a one year old was hit by a firework near Versailles. Lecornu called the unrest "the most violent student demonstrations in decades" while also calling the demands "legitimate," the straddle every French government attempts and none survives.

The left is not buying the promise. La France Insoumise's Manuel Bompard called Lecornu "incapable of announcing a single concrete measure." Green candidate Marine Tondelier called for a convergence of struggles on October 17, which is the French left's way of saying the students will not be alone. Lecornu has until the end of the month to turn a televised promise into funded policy. The students have until October 17 to decide whether to believe him.