Left-wing primary candidate Raphaël Glucksmann has proposed a minimum 10 percent salary increase for all teachers in France, estimating that the plan would cost six billion euros.
Speaking as a guest on the broadcast program Franc-jeu across France 2, France Inter, and france.tv on Sunday, Glucksmann outlined a baseline pay raise for educators alongside career-based increases.
Glucksmann said there should be an increase for everyone of 10 percent, followed by a gradual increase depending on a teacher's career progression.
He added that the pay raise could reach up to 25 percent in certain cases, pointing to a primary school teacher in the middle of their career as an example.
The candidate described the current situation of French teachers as a scandal, asserting that educators in France are the most mistreated in Europe.
Teacher salary proposal details
Glucksmann serves as a Member of the European Parliament and is the leader of Place publique, a center-left French political party founded in 2018. He is currently competing as a candidate in the French left-wing primary election.
The interview was broadcast simultaneously on France 2, a national public television channel, and France Inter, a national public radio station, alongside the online platform france.tv.
Class size reduction and demographic changes
In addition to salary adjustments, Glucksmann expressed a desire to take advantage of demographic decline to reduce the number of students per classroom.
French classrooms currently rank among the most crowded in Europe, facing higher student-to-teacher ratios than most other countries on the continent.
Demographic trends in France have led to shifts in school-age population numbers, presenting opportunities for structural adjustments in primary and secondary educational institutions nationwide.
Social mixing in French state-funded schools
As a third key proposal, the European lawmaker said social mixing must be relearned across the school system.
Glucksmann specified that this policy of social mixing should apply to all schools that receive subsidies from the French state.
State funding in France extends to both public schools and private educational institutions operating under government contracts, binding them to national educational guidelines and standards.
