French Prime Minister Proposes Boarding Schools for Troubled Youth to Restore Authority

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal has announced a plan to send troubled youth to boarding schools as part of an effort to restore authority, respect, and civic mindedness in society. The proposal comes in response to a recent surge in youth violence, including the murder of a 15-year-old boy in Viry-Châtillon earlier this month.

Speaking in Viry-Châtillon on his 100th day in office, Attal stated that a minority of teenagers are sliding towards isolation, individualism, and "unbridled morbid violence." He cited statistics showing that twice as many teens are involved in assault cases, four times more in drug trafficking, and seven times more in armed robberies compared to the general population.

Attal's measures include mandatory full-day schooling for middle schoolers in economically deprived neighborhoods and sending children to boarding schools if parents are deemed to be falling into bad company. He believes the "culture of excuses is over" and that young people must learn to respect authority.

"Authority is being questioned all too often by a minority of our adolescents," Attal said. "Young people need to learn to respect the rules and values of the republic." He suggested that before a young person slips into delinquency, authorities would recommend that parents send their child to a boarding school away from their neighborhood and negative influences.

The Prime Minister also announced a crackdown on drug trafficking and Islamist indoctrination in impoverished suburbs. He stated that schools should be empowered to educate and mold young people, with students standing up when the teacher enters the classroom. "A battle for authority needs to be won in the classroom," Attal said, adding that the school records of notorious troublemakers will be taken into account in the university application process.

Why this matters: The French government's proposals to address youth violence come as the country faces growing concerns over security ahead of the European elections in two months. The far-right National Rally party, which is leading the government coalition in polls, has accused the government of not doing enough to tackle the issue.

Attal's announcement included an eight-week public consultation to come up with concrete measures to address the "surge of ultraviolence" among young people, following a call from President Emmanuel Macron. The government faces an uphill struggle to reverse the tide, with current polls pointing to a major debacle that could overshadow the rest of Macron's second term. Attal emphasized the need for a comprehensive, united effort involving the community, government, and local authorities to tackle the root causes of youth violence and prevent further tragedies.

Key Takeaways

• French PM announces plan to send troubled youth to boarding schools
• Measures aim to restore authority, respect, and civic mindedness in society
• Crackdown on drug trafficking and Islamist indoctrination in impoverished suburbs
• Proposals come amid concerns over security ahead of European elections
• Government faces challenge to reverse tide of youth violence and ultraviolence