2026 European unrest
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In the latter half of 2026, a period of unrest has gripped large parts of the European continent. Demonstrations have occurred in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Albania, Belgium, Germany, Austria, and Ireland. These largely unconnected events have largely occurred against the backdrop of affordability crises and calls for better living and working conditions.[1][2]
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| 2026 European unrest | |
|---|---|
| 2026 socio-political protests and riots across Europe Part of the Gen Z protests and 17 October 2026 protests | |
| |
| Date | 23 May 2026 – present (4 months and 28 days) |
| Location | |
| Caused by | Poor working and educational conditions, rising cost-of-living, political dissatisfaction, austerity |
| Methods | Demonstrations, occupations, school blockades, arson, vandalism, rioting, looting and clashes with police |
| Status | Ongoing |
Background
The protests have unfolded in the face of rising unaffordability, poor working and educational conditions, and dissatisfaction with ruling governments. Several countries are facing mounting pressure to reign in their deficits while higher borrowing costs make debts more difficult to service. Austria is running a budget in 2026 above 4% of their GDP, while France and Belgium are running ones 5% above.[2]
Demonstrations
Albania
Protests erupted in Albania in late May 2026 in response to the planned development of a new resort on Sazan Island, an ecologically protected island. The development, which was to be undertaken by Jared Kushner, prompted major backlash, ushering in what became known as the Flamingo Revolution. Initially confined to concerns over the Sazan resort, the demonstrations grew to call for the resignation of incumbent prime minister Edi Rama, the Socialist politician who has been running the country since 2013. Throughout his thirteen years in power, Rama has faced criticism for alleged corruption, misuse of public funds, and favouritism.[3]
A fresh wave of demonstrations erupted on 13 October, when students began protesting over higher educational costs, a lack of financial aid, conditions at universities, and future job prospects. Protestors clashed with the riot police.[3]
Austria
Student groups are preparing for fresh demonstrations following an announcement by the national university association of €1 billion cuts for the next three-year budgetary period.[2]
Belgium
Demonstrators convened in Brussels and Liège on 17 October in response to the deteriorating conditions of schools and the increasing costs of education. In addition, the Belgian police have launched tear gas and water cannons after accusing the protestors of igniting fires and launching missiles[4]. Up to 195 people have been arrested in Belgium for the protests, with 5 officers sustaining major injuries, with some individuals relocating to construct barricades. In response to the protests, the Interior Minister of Belgium, Bernard Quintin, stated that “what is unfolding in Brussels is no longer mere protest and all necessary means will be used to restore order in the face of the rioters.”,
In Liège, there was also a protest in response to the increasing costs of education and the difficulty in obtaining study materials.[5]
France
Demonstrations regarding schools in France began on 18 September, when teachers in Créteil, a suburb of Paris, began going on strike over staffing shortages. Students later aided them in solidarity, spiraling into a nationwide protest movement. The demonstrations were initially limited to Paris, but gradually grew to encompass the rest of the countries and absorb broader dissatisfaction over the French economy, particularly regarding fuel prices. Due to the rising fuel prices and cost-of-living crisis, the Yellow vests movement saw a revitalisation on social media in September, scheduling a mass demonstration for 17 October.
On 17 October, fuel protesters and workers mobilised and joined together with student protesters, escalating the unrest. Many monuments were vandalised and damaged, including the Monument à la République in Paris and Hôtel de Ville in Limoges which was set on fire, listed by the French government as a Monument historique.[1][6] The protests have seen nearly a million people take part, with widespread rioting, looting, and destruction taking place across France. According to the BBC, 1,500 shops and businesses were ransacked or destroyed during the riots on 17 October.[7]
Germany
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the centre-right CDU, who took office in May 2025, saw his and his party's popularity steeply declining since April 2026. Elections in September in the states of Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern as well as public opinion polling for the 2029 federal election saw the right-extremist Alternative for Germany (AfD) gain unprecedented traction, while The Left won the Berlin election in the same month. Merz's ambition to enforce a disputed reform package by the end of 2026 led to a rift with ruling "Grand Coalition” partner SPD and resulted in nationwide protests, albeit of mostly peaceful nature.[8]
Greece
On 13 October, Greek students began protests in the Syntagma Square of Athens, which are centered around the issues of unaffordable prices of living for students, mainly in terms of student housing. Additionally protestors brought up complaints of the lack of funding for the public education system. Demonstrators erected tents outside of the Ministry of National Economy and Finance and the Hellenic Parliament, mainly as a blockade, but according to the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation the tents are also a comment about the condition of housing in Greece.[9][10] The organizers said that the tents were planned to stand for the following two days, and then a protest concert would be held the following week on 20 October.[11][12]
Ireland
On 1 October, more than 1,500 students marched in Dublin to protest the effects of cost of living and student fees. The event was organised by the Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn, the national students' union for Irish higher education.[13],
Italy
On 16 October, Italian students in major cities like Milan, Turin, Bologna, Verona, Rome, and Bari started protesting, inspired by their French counterparts. The mobilisation was denominated No Meloni Day, referring to Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of Italy. Demonstrators protested against the conditions of Italian educational facilities, against the measures adopted by the government to limit the number of foreign students in classrooms, [14] and demanded that the government start spending more on education and less on weapons.[15][16][17]
In Rome, demonstrators threw firecrackers and cherry bombs in front of the Ministry of Education, calling for Giuseppe Valditara, the Italian Minister of Education, and asking him to “get out of the building”. During the second day of the protest, 17 October, in Milan, Turin, and Bologna, riots erupted from the protests, that had become about more than issues of the students, but general social issues. In Milan especially the riot took a toll on the city, and at the end of the day, many shop windows and other public properties had been severely damaged.[18][19]
The students' protest became part of a broader climate of social unrest. This also saw road haulers and farmers protesting and going on strike because of the high cost of diesel fuel and the rising of the already high cost of living. Severe fuel shortages were reported in Southern Italy, alongside empty shelves in supermarkets.[20][21][22][23] In Apulia students, road haulers and farmers demonstrated together. Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini scheduled a meeting with representatives of road haulers for 20 October in Milan. Representatives of Calabrian road haulers have said that they won't stop striking and demonstrating if the confrontation with the government does not result in a satisfying outcome.[24]
Portugal
In October and September, tens of thousands took to the streets of Lisbon, Porto, Aveiro, Braga, Funchal, Faro (In solidarity with the Porto encampment) and Coimbra with the slogan “We can no longer live like this” (Portuguese: Não dá mais para viver assim)[25]to protest an Affordable housing crisis, Cost-of-living crisis, House prices not keeping up with wages and a decrease in Housing construction, on top of this, there are also marches called for by organisation like the CGTP union and several housing rights movements under the slogan “Higher wages, better pensions, and public services. Against the rising cost of living. A new course for Portugal!”[26]. This is due to Portugal having one of the worst housing crises in Europe, Since 2017 Purchase prices have more than doubled and rents for new leases have nearly doubled, however, after the Porto police violently intervened on a encampment which lead to 37 injures the protests turned more widespread[27].
The Lisbon police also violently intervened in an encampment to remove all of them on the 20 October and 55 protestors were arrested[28]
Spain
The protests happened for a myriad of reasons, but the main one is an 87-year-old woman, Mara del Carmen "Maricarmen" Abascal, being evicted from her home due to her rent being raised by 230% by the investment company Urbagestión (higher than her monthly pension) because of this, she died 2 weeks after she got evicted, the protests are also happening because of Home shortages, the Affordable housing crisis, Property speculation, Cost-of-living crisis and surging rents that don't keep up with wages[29] 20,000 people started protesting calling for the government to protect renters against "greedy investors hiking rents to unaffordable highs” because the right-wing and far-right parties in the Spanish Parliament rejected Pedro's plan to address the housing crisis he has called a snap election for 29 November 2026,
The Spanish Conservative Party (PP) refused to hold one minute of silence honering the death of "Maricarmen” which lead to the Hard-left Deputies in Madrid doing it themselves outside of Madrid City Hall[30], The protestors have been met with understanding from left-wing parties (such as the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party and Sumar) and disgrace from the right-wing parties People's Party (PP) and Vox.
Spain's two largest trade unions, Workers' Commissions (CCOO) and the General Union of Workers (UGT) have prompted citizens to join the nationwide protests and have called for a general strike on 11 November[31], due to this thousand of protestors were seen on 2 October in Seville, Bilbao, Vitoria-Gasteiz, San Sebastián, Pamplona and Oviedo and the 3 October in over 50 Spanish cities including Valencia's Plaza del Ayuntamiento[32], Málaga (9,000–50,000)[33],Granada (12,000)[34], Zaragoza (over 10,000)[35],A Coruña (10,000)[36], Cádiz (3,500–10,000)[37], Santa Cruz de Tenerife (2,000–10,000)[38], Alicante (3,000–9,000)[39], Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (3,500–8,000)[40] and Vigo (5,000)[41].
Reactions
European leaders from across the political spectrum have condemned the violence. Right-wing individuals generally condemned the protests, including US president and vice president Donald Trump and JD Vance, respectively.[1]
