European cities facing protests as continent gripped by cost of living crisis deepens

France braces for more unrest

Protests that began last month over teacher shortages, crowded classrooms and deteriorating school facilities have grown into nationwide demonstrations. Last Saturday, authorities counted 550,000 marchers across France, including 110,000 in Paris, while organisers put the total closer to 800,000.

Violent groups looted shops, set fires and attacked police during some rallies. Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said 2,700 people had been taken into custody since Saturday. Authorities said teenagers suffered serious injuries, including a 17-year-old girl who lost an eye in Mulhouse and a 17-year-old boy who lost a hand in Saint-Etienne.

France is preparing for more demonstrations, with 70,000 police and gendarmes due to be mobilised on Saturday. President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to ban demonstrations not organised by unions, while Paris planned to extend its nighttime curfew until Monday. Police tactics have also faced scrutiny over injuries sustained during earlier protests.

Housing pressures in Spain

Tens of thousands have protested in Spain in recent weeks after 87-year-old Maria del Carmen Abascal was evicted from her Madrid home. The flat had been her home for 70 years; its new owner, investment firm Urbagestion, tried to raise her rent by 230 per cent. She died in early October, two weeks after the eviction.

Separate clashes broke out in A Coruña on Wednesday during protests against a visit by Vox leader Santiago Abascal. Protesters threw eggs, stones and chairs, while masked individuals threw flares and fireworks at police, according to La Voz de Galicia.

Italy protests and security response

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the violence and announced a government meeting to discuss the situation. A newly formed group calling itself the “17 October Movement” has announced weekly demonstrations in Italian cities at 3 p.m. on Saturdays.

Portugal confronts housing costs

Buying a home in Portugal costs more than twice as much as in 2017, while new lease rents have almost doubled. Activists are urging the centre-right government to drop a bill that would ease evictions and remove rent caps on new leases; the bill passed its first reading after Chega abstained.

Tens of thousands marched through Lisbon on Saturday, according to CGTP, the country’s largest union, which called the rally. Inflation reached 3.6 per cent in September, driven by higher food and fuel prices; fuel prices were up 15 per cent year-on-year.