Cost of Living Protests Spread Across Europe as Prices Rise

Rising living costs, unaffordable housing and deteriorating public services have fueled demonstrations across France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium and other European countries, with students and workers demanding government action. The unrest intensified in October 2026 as economic pressures and frustration over education and employment prospects brought protesters into the streets, sometimes resulting in violent clashes with police.

In France, demonstrations that began with students protesting overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages and university admissions policies expanded into a broader movement against rising household expenses. The General Confederation of Labour, one of the country's largest unions, supported demands for lower prices, higher pensions and increased wages.

French authorities announced plans to deploy 3,000 additional substitute teachers, involve students in school decision-making and abandon proposed increases to certain university registration fees. The government also announced higher petrol subsidies for selected industries following fuel protests in mid-September.

President Emmanuel Macron condemned the destruction accompanying some demonstrations while distinguishing peaceful protesters from those involved in looting and vandalism. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called for very limited, localized curfews, while Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez blamed far-left protesters and people involved in criminal activity for damage across the country.

Spain's housing crisis has also become a focal point of public anger. Protests intensified in September following the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal after an investment fund increased her rent by 230%. She died two weeks later after being admitted to a hospital, prompting renewed demands for tenant protections and restrictions on evictions and short-term rentals.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez sought emergency housing legislation that included an eviction ban through 2030 and tighter regulation of temporary and room rentals. Right-wing and far-right parties defeated the proposal in parliament, prompting Sánchez to call a snap election for November 29 and seek a broader progressive majority to advance reforms.

Housing affordability has deteriorated across southern Europe, according to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Spain's house-price-to-income ratio stood 56% above its 2000 level, while France's was 39% higher. Italy's ratio increased by 5% over the same period.

Portugal has experienced a particularly sharp recent deterioration. Its house-price-to-income ratio rose 67% between 2015 and the latest comparison period reported by Al Jazeera, while official figures show Portuguese housing prices more than doubled between 2015 and 2024.

Hundreds of people gathered in central Lisbon to demand action on housing costs. Spanish housing campaigners announced plans for a general strike on November 11, pledging to maintain pressure on political leaders.

Consumer prices have also risen substantially since 2000. Eurostat data show cumulative increases of 78% in Spain, 71% in Portugal, 68% in Italy and 59% in France. Goods and services costing 100 euros in 2000 would therefore cost approximately 178 euros in Spain, 171 euros in Portugal, 168 euros in Italy and 159 euros in France.

Inflation accelerated sharply in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February that year, which drove up energy costs. Annual inflation reached 8.7% in Italy, 8.3% in Spain, 8.1% in Portugal and 5.9% in France. Eurostat data showed eurozone energy prices were nearly 42% higher in October 2022 than a year earlier.

Although inflation later eased, household purchasing power remained under pressure because wages did not consistently match price increases. OECD wage data adjusted using Eurostat's price index show that average full-time real wages in Italy fell almost 5% between 2000 and 2025. Over the same period, real wages increased 7% in Spain, 11% in France and 20% in Portugal.

Spanish journalist Jaime Velazquez told Al Jazeera's Inside Story that many new jobs in Spain were concentrated in tourism and services, where employment was often seasonal and poorly paid. Julius Fintelmann, cofounder and editor-in-chief of The European Correspondent, said aging populations were limiting opportunities for younger workers and that the pay gap between older and younger employees had widened across high-income economies.

Public education spending has also changed unevenly. Eurostat figures show that France allocated 5.1% of gross domestic product to education, down from 5.6% in 2000. Italy's share increased from 4% in 2000 to 4.4% in 2024, while Spain maintained a 4.1% share. Portugal's allocation declined from 4.8% in 2000 to 4.3% in 2024.

Beyond the housing and education protests, demonstrations in Italy over household expenses were followed by violent incidents in Milan, Turin and Bologna. In Milan, masked rioters threw stones and paving blocks at riot police and set fire to barricades made from bar tables, according to The Guardian.

In Albania, demonstrations against Prime Minister Edi Rama entered their seventh consecutive day in October, with protesters citing perceived corruption, limited employment opportunities and poor education standards. The unrest began during the summer and was triggered by opposition to a luxury coastal development backed by Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law.

The protests reflect a broader economic squeeze across Europe, where housing costs, consumer prices and employment insecurity have weakened confidence among younger generations. Demonstrations have continued despite policy concessions in France and housing reform setbacks in Spain, with French voters scheduled to go to the polls in April 2027.