Europe unrest: Protests over living costs, education & political failures rock France, Italy, Albania & Belgium

Protests over the cost of living, strained public services and political accountability swept across France, Italy, Belgium and Albania on Saturday, with demonstrators clashing with police in several cities and authorities deploying tear gas, water cannons and large numbers of officers to contain unrest.

The demonstrations reflected different domestic grievances but a common pattern of mounting public frustration, particularly over education, economic hardship and trust in political leadership. France saw the largest mobilisation, with more than 400,000 people taking to the streets nationwide, according to the Interior Ministry, while Albania witnessed a fresh escalation of anti-government protests after days of violence in its capital, Tirana.

Also read: More than 400,000 protest across France, challenging Macron as Paris clashes erupt


Italy saw renewed demonstrations against war and rising living costs, with clashes in Turin, Rome and Bologna, while hundreds of mainly young protesters gathered in Brussels to demand better conditions in education and challenge police conduct.

The latest unrest follows a week of violence in France and Belgium, as authorities across the four countries grapple with demonstrations that have increasingly tested public order and political leadership.

France: School funding and living costs fuel mass mobilisation

More than 400,000 people rallied across France on Saturday against school funding shortages and soaring living costs, posing a fresh challenge to President Emmanuel Macron's government in the final months of his presidency.

The Interior Ministry estimated nationwide participation at 410,000, including 110,000 in Paris, while the CGT trade union put the figure at nearly 800,000. The Paris march began peacefully but ended in clashes near Porte de Vincennes, where some protesters threw projectiles and police deployed tear gas and water cannons.

The Paris prosecutor's office said 64 people had been arrested in connection with the demonstration, including six minors, and 40 had been placed in police custody. The government had deployed up to 70,000 officers nationwide, supported by helicopters, armoured vehicles and water cannons.

What began last month as a protest over staff shortages at a high school southeast of Paris has grown into a broader movement involving students and workers seeking better education, higher wages and improved pensions.

Public middle and high schools lost 15.4 million teaching hours in the 2024-25 school year because absent teachers were not replaced, amounting to 7.5% of scheduled teaching time, according to Education Ministry figures.

Students are demanding 250,000 additional higher-education places, more teachers, school repairs and increased student grants. They are also seeking a freeze on rents in public student housing.

Economic pressures have added to the anger. French energy prices rose 21.3% in September from a year earlier, helping push overall inflation to 3.1%, according to national statistics agency INSEE.

The unrest has become a test of Macron's authority, with the far-right National Rally accusing his government of failing to protect the public. Authorities banned demonstrations in several cities, including Lyon, Nice and Montpellier, drawing criticism from trade unions over freedom of expression.

Also read: Italy sees fresh protests over war, cost of living as Police brace for violence

Italy: Anti-war rallies return as police brace for violence

Italian cities saw fresh protests against war and rising living costs on Saturday, a week after demonstrations escalated into clashes, looting and property damage.

Turin, Rome and Bologna witnessed confrontations between police and demonstrators, while protests in Milan were largely peaceful, Reuters reported. Police maintained a heavy presence and many shops shut as a precaution against potential damage.

Authorities strengthened security after calls for further demonstrations circulated on social media, seeking to prevent a repeat of the previous weekend's violence. Reuters witnesses did not observe shops being looted or property vandalised during Saturday's demonstrations.

Earlier in the day, Italian police said they had detained a person allegedly linked to organising the 'October 17 Movement', associated with last weekend's protests, and taken the individual to police headquarters in Milan for questioning.

The demonstrations brought together grievances over international conflict and the rising cost of living, although the reports did not establish a single nationwide political demand driving the rallies.

Belgium: Young protesters clash with police over education

In Brussels, hundreds of mainly young demonstrators gathered on Saturday to demand better conditions in education, continuing a series of rallies held over recent months.

Police used tear gas and pepper spray as clashes broke out, with protesters accusing authorities of excessive violence and calling for greater education funding, Reuters witnesses and Belgian media reported.

In one incident witnessed by Reuters, police pursued demonstrators who ran and fell to the ground, while officers hit and kicked one protester. Elsewhere, demonstrators threw road signs and other objects onto a pile of rental scooters and bicycles and attempted to set it alight.

Belgian media also reported that police used tear gas to disperse a group of protesters.

The clashes were smaller and less violent than those seen in Belgium the previous week and in neighbouring France, Reuters reported.

Brussels police said no major incidents had occurred by the end of the afternoon. Officers temporarily detained five people for disturbing public order and four others over alleged possession of prohibited weapons and incitement to rioting.

Albania: Anti-government anger widens beyond original grievances

Thousands gathered in Tirana on Saturday for a fresh anti-government demonstration, as unrest that has shaken the Albanian capital since mid-October escalated again after several quieter days.

Police fired tear gas, used water cannons and rubber bullets after some demonstrators threw stones at the education ministry, a focal point of the protests. Several government buildings have been attacked during the unrest, and authorities say more than 300 protesters and police officers have been injured. Dozens of demonstrators have also been detained.

The movement has expanded beyond its original grievances into a broader campaign against corruption, poor public services and Prime Minister Edi Rama's government.

Anti-government protests began in May over a luxury hotel project linked to US President Donald Trump's family. Scientists said in July that the development had already caused irreparable damage to a previously pristine stretch of Albania's coastline. Anger over the project subsequently broadened into demands for Rama to step down.

Students have raised concerns about deteriorating education standards and limited opportunities, while economic hardship and emigration have added to public frustration. More than 1.5 million people have left Albania since the fall of Communism in the 1990s, leaving a population of about 2.3 million.