France student protests roil politics ahead of elections

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France braced for more intense student-led protests, as political upheaval ripples through Europe’s major economies. French youths have been demonstrating over poor conditions at school buildings, and analysts expect unrest to intensify after a teenager’s hand was blown off by a riot police sting grenade.
The country is already bitterly divided, with far-left and far-right parties leading opinion polls ahead of presidential elections next year. Germany and Spain face their own political turmoil: The former is in deadlock over tax proposals that, alongside a string of election embarrassments, threaten the governing coalition and could lead to the chancellor being ousted; the latter will hold snap elections after a key housing law failed in parliament.

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