City protests and strikes hit France, Spain, Italy and Albania

Protests over rising living costs, struggling schools, declining public services and a housing shortage have swept European cities for weeks, disrupting destinations including Paris, Lyon, Madrid, Milan and Tirana. Some demonstrations have turned violent, with arrests, looting, injuries and fires reported, so travellers in these cities should expect disruption around city centres.

Key facts

• Weekend unrest in France produced 2,400 arrests, looting and fires in several cities
• Looting was reported in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Bordeaux; hundreds of people were injured
• Protest camps have occupied Madrid's Puerta del Sol for weeks, with similar camps in Lisbon, Porto and Barcelona
• A general strike has been called in Spain for November 2026 — the first in 14 years
• Clashes occurred at an anti-government demonstration in Tirana on 18 October 2026

Where is the unrest happening?

In France, high school students have staged blockades and demonstrations for more than three weeks, calling for more resources for schools they describe as understaffed and dilapidated, particularly in lower-income neighbourhoods. The movement widened as the CGT labour union and other activists joined during the autumn break, adding rising living costs and public services to the demands.

Spain has seen two separate protest strands. Teachers in Madrid began an indefinite strike last week over pay and working conditions, with similar walkouts elsewhere in Spain this year. In Madrid's central Puerta del Sol, tarpaulin tents have covered the square for weeks to protest rising housing costs, a movement sparked by the eviction of María del Carmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman who later died while hospitalised; smaller camps followed in other Spanish cities.

Housing protests have also appeared in Lisbon and Porto and in Barcelona. In Italy, police confronted "Italia in Piazza" protesters in Milan on 17 October 2026, and in Albania clashes took place during an anti-government demonstration in Tirana on 18 October 2026.

How serious has the violence been in France?

Although hundreds of thousands of people marched peacefully, the weekend's unrest led to 2,400 arrests and serious disturbances in parts of France. In Limoges, flames engulfed the 19th-century City Hall and nearly destroyed the building, and some schools were set on fire.

Students and rioters threw firebombs and law enforcement responded with tear gas, and hundreds of people were injured. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Saturday's violence, accusing far-left activists of trying to foment chaos by attacking buildings and police. In a televised address on Sunday, he said: "Those who looted will have to pay for the damage."

Are there strikes and elections to plan around?

Spain's ruling Socialist government approved affordable housing measures in response to the protests, but they lacked support in Parliament, leading Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to call an early election in November. A general strike has also been called for November — the first in 14 years.

France, Italy and Spain are all approaching pivotal elections, and far-right parties have made electoral gains in Germany, the article notes. Housing costs are a major factor: Spain's minimum wage is 1,221 euros ($1,370), while the average monthly rent for an 80-square-metre apartment is around 1,130 euros (about $1,270), according to an analysis by the business newspaper Expansión.

What this means for travellers

Protests have been concentrated in central squares and public buildings — Republic Square in Paris, Puerta del Sol in Madrid, Milan's streets and central Tirana — so journeys through city centres could be affected, particularly at weekends. Anyone travelling to Spain in November should be aware that both a general strike and an early election have been announced for that month.

No end date for the unrest has been announced, and no official travel advice for visitors is included in the report. Travellers can only check local conditions in the cities they plan to visit and allow extra time around announced demonstrations.

The next milestones named in the report are Spain's November election and general strike. In France, the student movement and union demands remain unresolved.