Rising Costs, Housing and Education Crises Ignite Europe's 'Autumn of Anger'

During October, protest movements coincided in France, Italy, Belgium, and Albania, while Spain experienced a separate wave focused on the housing crisis.

Although these protests do not belong to a single organization and do not raise identical demands, they unfold in social environments where rising prices intersect with weak services and difficulties accessing housing and education. In Albania, accusations of corruption and calls for direct political change stand out.

Security Test
France was the broadest and most violent arena; on October 17, school and university students, unions, workers, farmers, retirees, alongside supporters of the "Yellow Vests," took to the streets protesting inflation, fuel prices, teacher shortages, and declining public services.

The French Interior Minister estimated participation at 550,000, while the CGT union raised the estimate to 800,000.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced the arrest of hundreds and injuries to several police officers, following looting and arson in Paris, Marseille, Limoges, Lyon, and other cities, according to Le Monde newspaper.

In an updated tally, France 24 reported that arrests exceeded 1,800, and more than 500 police, gendarmes, and firefighters were injured, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez.

Police also announced 855 arrests in Paris alone, while prosecutors stated that 517 remained in temporary custody, including 171 minors.

Lecornu announced a ministerial meeting to discuss damage to the economy, shops, insurance, and judicial measures, while a trade sector representative said approximately 1,500 stores and facilities were damaged.

Politically, Lecornu accused the "far left" and criminals of trying to turn violence into "training" before the presidential election. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen accused the left of hijacking social demands, while La France Insoumise leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon said most demonstrations passed peacefully and accused media outlets of exaggerating scenes of violence.

Le Monde clarified that the protest has become part of an early struggle over Emmanuel Macron's succession, rather than merely a dispute over prices.

Italy Protests
In Italy, protests took a path more closely linked to energy, wages, and social spending.

France 24 reported that inflation reached 4.2% year-on-year in September, driven particularly by rising fuel prices.

Figures from the Parliamentary Budget Office showed real wages declined by 6.6% between 1990 and 2026.

In Rome, the CGIL union organized a march under the slogan "La Via Maestra." According to La Repubblica coverage, union Secretary General Maurizio Landini demanded wage and pension increases, funding for schools and health, improved access to housing, and announced a general strike on November 20.

Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein proposed a temporary cap on fuel prices for 90 days.

In Milan, a march against rising living costs and wars turned into clashes, looting, and burning barricades. The ANSA agency reported two police officers injured and about 50 protesters detained, including minors.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated that protesting is a right, but burning cities is not, while Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said the reasons for protest are understandable, without justifying violence.

Economist Veronica De Romanis at Luiss University in Rome said fear of the future, due to geopolitical and economic conditions, drives some Italians to protest, especially young people who see their professional progress not reflected in their wages.

Brussels: Local Reforms
In the Belgian capital Brussels, students protested the state of the education system, holding signs inspired by the Japanese animated film "Porco Rosso."

Images of the protests, which occurred at Brussels Central Station on Saturday, October 17, showed confrontations between police and some demonstrators; one officer was seen waving his baton, while protesters overturned a car.

According to Le Soir newspaper, full tuition fees rose in September to €1,194, an increase of €359 for undergraduate students, with different income brackets determining fee values.

Le Monde explains that Belgian students emphasized their protest is not merely an extension of what is happening in France, but is linked to local reforms, resource shortages, and fears of reduced educational accessibility.

Spain's Protest Engine
Days ago, Madrid witnessed protests involving, according to El País, around 70,000 people, while similar movements extended to Bilbao, Valencia, the Canary Islands, and other cities.

Demonstrators demanded the right to housing and a halt to evictions, accusing the government, right-wing parties, and real estate investment funds of ignoring the tenant crisis.

The mobilization came after an 87-year-old woman was evicted from her home following a rent increase demand of 230%.

After parliament rejected two government decrees containing measures to protect tenants, the "Tenants Union" announced continued protests and called for a general strike.

The Guardian reported that the decrees included suspending evictions of vulnerable tenants until 2030, regulating short-term rentals, and imposing restrictions on housing purchases by investment funds.

Albania: Demanding Rama's Departure
Protests in Albania began in late May 2026, under the name "Flamingo Revolution," rejecting a luxury tourist resort project on the southern coast, supported by a company linked to Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, located in a protected natural area.

As movements continued for months, demands expanded to include combating corruption and nepotism, improving living and educational conditions, before thousands of students joined the movement in Tirana on October 13, protesting rising study costs, weak financial support, and limited job opportunities after graduation.

With peaceful protests struggling to achieve participants' demands, confrontations escalated, with the capital witnessing the burning of government buildings, bank branches, and property vandalism, while police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse demonstrators.

According to Reuters, 71 people were arrested over three days until October 16, and the Ministry of Health counted 89 injured, including 61 police officers; then the announced tally rose to 167 detainees and 132 injured police officers by October 17.

Prime Minister Edi Rama refused to resign, accusing the opposition of exploiting the unrest, while the movement faces the challenge of transforming popular anger into organized demands, in a country seeking EU membership by 2030.

Alberto Alemanno, professor of EU law and policy at HEC Paris, clarifies that the demonstrations are not a single movement, but separate protests intersecting around education funding, rising living costs, and uncertainty about youth futures.

France's protests test the state's ability to control violence before elections, Italy faces pressure from energy, wages, and unions, Brussels confronts disputes over fees and education reforms, Spain faces a housing crisis, while Albania's protests link to corruption demands and government resignation.