France
There have been protests across France for weeks. They started with students who took to the streets and blocked schools to protest a shortage of teachers and poor learning conditions. Now it's also about the high cost of living and criticism of the political leadership.
In the past few days there have been massive violent riots in various cities. At the weekend, demonstrators set the town hall in the city of Limoges on fire, among other things, and the building collapsed. Scores of people, including young people, were injured in violent clashes between police and demonstrators. There was looting.
Meanwhile, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has announced the imposition of local curfews.
Italy
There have also been protests and riots in Italy in recent days. On Friday, thousands of students demonstrated in Rome against government policy. At the weekend there were also protests, some of them violent, in other northern Italian cities such as Milan, Bologna, Brescia, Bergamo and Turin - here primarily against high costs of living.
In Milan in particular, demonstrators looted shops and threw stones at police officers on Sunday. According to police, more than 270 teenagers and young adults were arrested.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the violence and announced a government meeting.
Belgium
Protests in Belgian cities led to riots on Saturday. Student groups had called for the rallies, which, among other things, were directed against rising education costs and reforms that could make access to universities more difficult.
The police used tear gas and water cannons. Belgium's Interior Minister Bernard Quintin wrote on Platform X that he would use all necessary means to restore order. What is currently happening in Brussels is no longer just a protest.
The wave of protests dates back at least to the beginning of October. A major nationwide day of protests and strikes took place on October 9, 2026, against government austerity measures, budget cuts and reforms that unions say could particularly burden workers and low-income people.
Portugal
Thousands of people protested in Lisbon over the weekend against the sharp rise in the cost of living and the housing crisis in Portugal. The country's largest union called for the rally. According to them, there were tens of thousands in the capital; the police did not give any estimates.
The demonstration had already been preceded by days of growing unrest. A week ago, the police in the city of Porto cleared a tent camp of housing activists.
Spain
There is also an ongoing wave of protests in Spain, which gained momentum at the end of September when an 87-year-old woman's apartment in Madrid was evicted. Her case became a symbol in the subsequent demonstrations against high rents and housing shortages, which reached their climax on October 3rd with demonstrations in more than 50 cities.
The protests in Spain have already had concrete political consequences: After parliament rejected measures to protect tenants and prevent evictions at the beginning of October, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced early elections.
The protests have now spread to the education sector. Clashes with the police broke out in Madrid during protests by striking teachers against the regional government's education policy. Strikes and demonstrations have been announced for the coming days and weeks.
Albania
People in Albania have also been taking to the streets for days. The protests were initially directed against poor study conditions and high tuition fees, but now there are calls for the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign.
The worst riots to date occurred on Saturday. Several buildings, including a courthouse, banks and a post office, were set on fire or severely damaged. For the first time, the police used rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
The government under Rama is under massive pressure and has been confronted with repeated protests since the end of May. The trigger was plans for a luxury hotel project in a nature reserve that is linked to US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner and has been criticized for allegations of corruption and a lack of transparency.
