Protests over living costs and public services spread across Europe

2026-10-18

Protests in several European countries reflected varied national grievances, with rising living costs and pressure on education, housing and public services recurring themes.
In France, student demonstrations over school funding, staff shortages and poor conditions broadened into protests over living costs; G1 reported 1,200 detentions on Oct. 17 amid clashes and fires.
Hundreds of thousands of students and workers demonstrated in Italy on Oct. 30, calling for more school funding and measures against rising living costs; the rallies were largely peaceful.
Tens of thousands of young people marched in Germany on Oct. 31 over issues including underfunded schools, living costs and possible military service; looting and riots later prompted police intervention in Frankfurt and Cologne.
Belgian students protested rising education costs and proposed reforms, while housing affordability featured in demonstrations in Madrid and Portugal.