World · Europe · 49 mins ago
Youth protests spread across Europe over education, housing and jobs
Young people have taken to the streets across Europe, with protests reported in France, Greece, Germany, Portugal and other countries.
Their concerns vary: demonstrators have called for better-funded public education, more teachers and repairs to school buildings, while housing costs and tuition fees have also prompted protests.
Some young people outside France say they drew inspiration from French students, whose demonstrations have continued for weeks.
Young people face higher unemployment than the workforce overall in all 30 countries compared in the data: the EU average is 15.2% for young people, against 6% overall.
Housing costs also put a heavier strain on young people than on the whole population in 17 of 29 countries studied.
EU governments spend more on old age than education: in 2024, the average was 10.6% of GDP for old-age support and 4.7% for education.
The figures do not show that governments are deliberately acting against young people; ageing populations help explain rising spending on pensions.
Youth protests that began in France have spread to cities across Europe, with demonstrators raising concerns about education, housing, jobs and living standards.
The protests in Western Europe were triggered by a teacher walkout in Créteil on Sept. 17 over a lack of school resources.
In France, students have protested shortages of teachers, deteriorating school buildings and government savings plans.
Demonstrators in other countries have raised issues including housing costs, tuition fees, military conscription and the independence of public television.
Data cited by Watson show that young people face higher unemployment than the overall workforce in all 30 countries compared.
- Who
- Young people, including students, are protesting across Europe.
- What
- Demonstrations address education, housing, jobs and other issues, including military conscription and public media independence.
- When
- Protests have been underway for weeks; the French teacher walkout that triggered them began Sept. 17.
- Where
- Protests have been reported in France, Greece, Germany, Portugal, Denmark, Czechia, Italy, Spain, Belgium and Switzerland, among other places.
- Why
- Protesters cite issues including shortages of school resources, high housing costs, tuition fees, unemployment and declining living standards.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A teacher walkout began in Créteil, a suburb of Paris, over a lack of school resources.
Tens of thousands of young people demonstrated in Germany, including against military conscription.
A car burned during protests in Paris, according to a photo caption in Watson.
franceinfo reported on youth mobilisations in Greece, Germany, Portugal, Denmark and Czechia.
- French walkout began
- Sept. 17 in Créteil
- EU youth unemployment
- 15.2% for people aged 15 to 24, compared with 6% overall
- Youth housing-cost pressure
- 9% of people aged 15 to 29 in the EU spend more than 40% of available income on housing
- EU spending in 2024
- 10.6% of GDP went to old-age spending and 4.7% to education
- France
- Youth unemployment was 19.8%, compared with 7.7% overall
3 sources
What people are saying
We unite our voices with those of the French students who are demonstrating right now. With the slogan 'from Greece to France', we are fighting for free public education
We were inspired by the demands of French students against dilapidated school buildings and a shortage of teachers. We have the same problems
There is no reason to import forms of violent protest into Portugal. And everything must be done to avoid unwanted confrontations