Europe's protests: Why citizens are taking to the streets

Protests are sweeping across Europe as young people and citizens demonstrate over education failures, housing costs, and the broader cost of living crisis, prompting varied government responses from police clashes to policy debates. In France, high school students have violently clashed with police over teacher shortages, dilapidated classrooms, and an opaque university admissions system, with the CGT union backing demands for lower prices and higher wages. Spain saw September protests after an 87-year-old woman was evicted following a 230% rent hike, while Portugal’s housing prices rose 124% from 2015 to 2024. Similar unrest hit Milan, where a Saturday march turned violent with masked rioters throwing objects, and Albania entered its sixth day of demonstrations against Prime Minister Edi Rama over corruption and job shortages. French President Emmanuel Macron is nearing the end of his two-term presidency amid the turmoil.