World · Europe · 4 hrs ago
Greek students, teachers and civil servants protest cost of living
Students, teachers and civil servants planned protests in Greece on Oct.
21 over the high cost of living.
Gatherings were expected around midday in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city.
The protesters are calling for free public education and raising concerns about poor school infrastructure and staff shortages.
Secondary school pupils and teachers also want more public spending on education.
Students had set up tents in central Athens and Thessaloniki the day before the planned rallies.
Civil servants were also called to stop work and gather in Athens by their union.
Greece’s government has sought to distinguish the protests from recent violent demonstrations in France, while Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greece would not return to the social unrest of its financial crisis years.
Student leaders say demonstrations will continue, but no further dates or plans were specified.
Students, teachers and civil servants planned protests in Greece on Oct. 21 over the high cost of living.
Gatherings were expected around midday in Athens and Thessaloniki.
Students and teachers also raised concerns about public education, including shortages of staff and infrastructure.
The civil servants’ union called for a work stoppage and a gathering in Athens.
The protests followed violent demonstrations in France on Oct. 17 and 18, which Greek demonstrators said reflected similar problems.
- Who
- Students, teachers and civil servants in Greece.
- What
- They planned protests over the high cost of living and concerns about public education.
- When
- Oct. 21, 2026, with gatherings expected around midday.
- Where
- Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece.
- Why
- Protesters cited the high cost of living; students and teachers also cited education infrastructure and staff shortages.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Violent demonstrations took place in France.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greece would “never return to the era of great social unrest” during the financial crisis.
Dozens of students set up tents in Syntagma Square in Athens and on a pedestrian street in Thessaloniki.
Students, teachers and civil servants planned protests in Greece.
- Protest date
- Oct. 21, 2026
- Expected gathering time
- Around midday
- Cities
- Athens and Thessaloniki
- Tent sites
- Syntagma Square in Athens and a pedestrian street in Thessaloniki
- Civil servants
- Union called for a work stoppage and gathering in Athens
3 sources
What people are saying
In Greece like in France, we are demanding public, free education
This will not be a one-off protest. We have a plan to continue our demonstrations.
never return to the era of great social unrest