Student protests that began with high school blockades in France have spread across Europe, drawing young people into the streets over deteriorating school conditions, teacher shortages, rising education costs and a housing crisis that is making it harder to study.
From France and Belgium to Albania, Greece, Spain and Italy, demonstrations have included school occupations, mass marches and protest camps, with some escalating into clashes with police.
Though national grievances differ, the unrest reflects growing frustration among young people who say governments are failing to provide the resources and opportunities they need to build their futures.
France at the center
The protests began in mid-to-late September, when students in the Paris region, particularly around Creteil, blockaded school entrances with trash bins and makeshift barriers.
They cited missing teachers, overcrowded classrooms and deteriorating facilities, including mold, broken toilets and classrooms reaching 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) during heat waves.
Students have also criticized demanding schedules and Parcoursup, France's university admissions platform, which they say adds stress and uncertainty to the transition to higher education.
The demonstrations quickly spread nationwide, disrupting hundreds of schools. At the peak, more than 200 high schools were reportedly fully closed, while others faced partial closures or interruptions to classes. University students have also joined the movement.
Turnout estimates have varied widely. On Oct. 13, the Interior Ministry counted at least 161,500 demonstrators, while unions estimated participation at nearly 480,000. Other major protest days earlier in October also drew large crowds.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg joined demonstrators at a blockaded school in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on Oct. 13, arguing that young people were being denied a meaningful role in decisions affecting their futures.
Police conduct has become another flashpoint. A teenager lost a hand in Lens, prompting authorities to suspend the use of stun grenades. Other reported injuries included eye damage and dental trauma, while complaints alleging police brutality were under investigation.
Justice Ministry figures cited in reports put the number of people taken into custody at roughly 6,800 to 8,000, with about 85% to 86% of those detained being minors.
Students, school staff and officers were among those reported injured. Although most marches remained largely peaceful, some ended in clashes involving tear gas, police charges and property damage.
Student unions are demanding an emergency school renovation program, large-scale teacher recruitment, improved schedules and greater student representation. They also want major changes to Parcoursup or its repeal, alongside more nurses, psychologists and career advisers.
Education Minister Edouard Geffray announced plans to deploy about 3,000 substitute teachers to the hardest-hit schools. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu promised a broader plan by the end of October, including consultations and adjustments to the 2027 budget, while citing financial constraints.
President Emmanuel Macron has called for patience and dialogue, but student leaders have dismissed the initial measures as insufficient and vowed to continue demonstrating.
Protests spread across Europe
In Belgium, students began demonstrating in early October against tuition reforms, overcrowded classrooms and funding cuts. Some categories of students face fees of up to 1,194 euros for the 2026-27 academic year. Protests spread from Liège to Brussels and other cities, with arrests reported during disorderly demonstrations.
Students also joined a nationwide union-led strike on Oct. 9 against austerity measures. The action drew tens of thousands of participants, while isolated clashes near Brussels Central Station involved water cannon, tear gas and fires.
In Albania, student grievances over university conditions, education costs and limited job prospects have merged with wider protests against corruption and inequality.
Demonstrations have overlapped with the months-long Flamingo Revolution, which opposes a luxury coastal resort project linked to Jared Kushner.
Protests in Tirana escalated into violence, with demonstrators attacking government buildings, banks and infrastructure. Police responded with tear gas, water cannon and batons. Reports described more than 100 arrests at peak points, injuries and significant property damage.
Prime Minister Edi Rama has refused to resign, pledging to address legitimate education concerns while condemning violence and defending his government's push for European Union membership.
In Greece, students set up tents in Athens' Syntagma Square opposite Parliament around Oct. 13 to protest soaring rents and inadequate public housing. Small apartments can cost 500 to 600 euros a month or more, putting accommodation beyond many students' budgets.
Demonstrators are demanding rent controls, more student housing, increased subsidies and better education funding. School sit-ins have also increased over teacher shortages and poor conditions.
In Spain, an indefinite teachers' strike began in the Madrid region on Oct. 14, bringing together educators, students and families under the Marea Verde, or Green Tide, movement. Protesters want increased public funding, smaller classes, higher salaries, reduced teaching hours and more specialized staff. Critics also accuse the regional government of encouraging privatization at the expense of public schools.
In Italy, students have occupied high schools in Turin and Rome, adopting slogans inspired by France as they protest underfunding, deteriorating buildings and rising living costs. Smaller demonstrations elsewhere reflect similar concerns.
A wider crisis of opportunity
Across Europe, the protests expose mounting pressure on public education systems after years of financial constraints, teacher recruitment difficulties and aging infrastructure. Rising rents, energy bills and everyday expenses have compounded those problems, making education increasingly difficult to afford.
Young people also express frustration over their future prospects, arguing that governments are failing to address barriers to education, employment and housing.
France's demonstrations have drawn comparisons with the student unrest of May 1968, although today's movement focuses largely on practical demands involving school conditions, staffing and access to education.
Governments have offered targeted concessions and promised dialogue while emphasizing budget limitations. Yet allegations of police excess, mass arrests and injuries have intensified scrutiny of how authorities respond to youth-led dissent.