Europe's cost-of-living protests spread from France to Italy, Belgium, Portugal, and Albania

Violent protests over living costs, housing, and public services have erupted across Europe, with France as the epicenter, sparking unrest in Italy, Belgium, Portugal, and Albania, placing governments under pressure to address public dissatisfaction. In France, demonstrations drew over 550,000 people, leading to 2,400 arrests and nearly 1,000 officer injuries after clashes, looting, and arson. Italy saw clashes in Milan and other cities, while Belgium faced student protests in Brussels, and Portugal's housing crisis brought tens of thousands to Lisbon. Albania's student-led protests demand Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation, continuing for six days with attacks on government buildings. The unrest reflects separate domestic disputes over economic uncertainty, with arrests unlikely to resolve underlying grievances regarding housing, wages, education funding, and public services.