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The latter half of 2026 has been filled with worldwide protests, from student protests in France to the housing protests in Spain, environmental concerns in Indonesia to calls for electoral accountability in India; young people all over the world are taking to the streets, rising against systems that have made a dystopian future feel closer to everyday reality.

Recently, protests have brought together people from all walks of life, such as students, workers, activists, and opposition groups. These protests are not part of one movement; the demands differ from country to country, but many reflect frustration with the rising cost of living, underfunded public services, environmental destruction, unaffordable housing, government corruption, lack of opportunities for young people, fascism and a growing sense that the system is ignoring regular people and leaders are failing to address everyday concerns. 

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Here is a look at the protests taking place across Europe, South America and Asia in October 2026, the demands behind them and what they reveal about the challenges facing different generations.

Protests Across Europe

France: Student Protests and Cost of Living Crisis

France has experienced some of the largest demonstrations in Europe. Initially, in mid-September, French high school students aged between 15 and 18 from the working-class northern suburbs of Paris started barricading themselves outside their schools, forcing them to close. Their demands were simple: decrease class sizes, improve the shabby and dilapidated facilities, and hire more teachers and support staff to replace the ones who had left; some students hadn’t seen their teachers for months. 

These were all legitimate concerns and complaints; however, the French police responded with extreme violence and brutality. They blew off the hand of a 14-year-old, fired a stun grenade at point-blank range, breaking a 15-year-old’s jaw, and unlawfully used illegal anti-immigration vehicles funded by British taxpayers to run off French high school kids and arrested thousands of people without charge. 

On 17th October, France’s interior ministry reported that more than 550,000 people took part in demonstrations across the country. The protests evolved into a broader movement with people from all generations joining in as discontent grew against skyrocketing bills and drastic cuts in social welfare funding, against the backdrop of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.

Unfortunately, these protests were hijacked by violent fringe groups who then attacked buildings, burned public property, and looted shops. Instead of addressing the legitimate concerns of their citizens, French legacy media have been positioning the movement as incendiary, focusing on looting and material damage rather than students’ demands. The government and opportunistic politicians also used these instances to delegitimise the protests in their entirety and have been trying to paint all protesters with the same brush. 

For many demonstrators, their issues are interconnected. The cost of living is too harsh, the price of fuel is too high, and students are being violently attacked just for asking for basic rights such as decent learning facilities and more teachers.

Spain: Protests Over the Housing Crisis

Spain’s housing crisis brought thousands of people onto the streets, with demonstrators demanding affordable rents, stronger tenant protections and action against evictions.

Housing protests in Spain have been happening since 2024, with people challenging rising rents and a shortage of affordable homes. For younger people, the crisis has made it increasingly difficult to move out of family homes or flat-sharing, and saving for a deposit seems like a distant dream. 

The latest protests came after 87-year-old María del Carmen “Maricarmen” Abascal was evicted from her Madrid home on September 23, 2026, after living there for about seven decades. Demonstrations spread from Madrid to other Spanish cities as thousands of people took to the streets calling for rent control so they can be protected from being priced out of their homes. Although Abascal reached an agreement to return to her home, she died in the hospital on October 7th, causing the crisis to become a national political issue.

Spain’s government offered emergency housing decrees, but the parliament rejected them, leading the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to call for an early election in November. Some of Spain’s largest unions have announced a housing-focused general strike for November 11.

It’s not only young people who are taking part in these demonstrations. Older residents worried about losing homes they have lived in for much of their lives have also joined these protests. Housing is more than a financial issue; for many people, it is about security, dignity and whether they can see a future for themselves in the places they live.

Portugal: Demands for Affordable Homes

On Saturday, October 17th, thousands marched through central Lisbon in a demonstration called by Portugal’s largest trade union, CGTP, against the housing crisis, rising rents, shortage of affordable homes and low wages. 

Property prices and rents have risen substantially since 2017, particularly in major cities of Portugal, fuelling one of the worst affordability crises in Europe. The crisis has affected both younger and middle-aged residents, many of whom struggle to make ends meet on local wages that are failing to keep pace with rents and other expenses. People have also raised concerns about the impact of tourism and demand from wealthier international residents on the availability of housing.

Housing campaigners set up protest camps in Lisbon and Porto after days of growing unrest, which the police cleared in an operation on 20th October and arrested many; however, the protestors have vowed to return and set up camp on new sites. 

Inflation in Portugal jumped to 3.6% in September, driven by rising food and fuel prices, as confirmed by Statistics Portugal (INE). The demonstrations oppose proposed changes to rental rules that campaigners fear would make evictions easier and weaken protections for tenants. The Portuguese government has rejected pressure from protesters and seems to be doubling down on policies that may attract visitors and investors, but harm regular everyday residents who work in cities but struggle to afford to live there. 

Belgium: Students Protest Education Costs

In protests partly inspired by those in France, Belgium’s students took to the streets on October 1st, over education reforms and budget cuts introduced by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation on June 5th 2026. The plan targets €500 million in savings by 2029, including a tuition increase for most students in Belgium’s ‌French-speaking ⁠community to €1,194 ($1,280) from €835. Belgian students are raising concerns over rising education costs, overcrowded classrooms, difficulties acquiring study materials, and increased teaching hours. They fear all of these will make quality education less accessible. 

Some gatherings escalated and became violent as police used tear gas and water cannons to contain the protests, with local media reporting around 107 arrests. On October 9th, a separate, more intense march in Brussels drew tens of thousands protesting the federal government’s budget and social policies. These incidents have attracted attention, and as some government ministers claim “foreign interference”, they should not obscure the broader grievances being expressed by students and education campaigners. The demonstrations also reflect wider concerns about public spending and the future of services that people depend on.

For many young people, the cost and quality of education are closely connected to their future prospects. University is often presented as a path to achieve financial security, but how can that promise sustain itself when tuition costs rise, and employment opportunities remain uncertain? 

Albania: Young People Call For Political Accountability

Since late May, Albanians have protested the government’s approval of a Jared Kushner-backed luxury resort on Albania’s protected coastal area, the Vjosa–Narta wetlands. Known as the Flamingo Revolution, a grassroots, Gen Z-led uprising, this movement expanded into a broader anti-government campaign demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama’s resignation. 

Tensions heightened when, in September, Meta disabled the Instagram accounts of several activists and journalists. Rama has denied state involvement, and Meta later restored the accounts, citing an error, but it did spark censorship concerns. 

On October 13th, a new wave of student protests erupted over poor university conditions, high tuition fees, and bleak job prospects. The high school and university students then joined the Flamingo movement, calling for the Prime Minister to resign amid allegations of corruption and concerns about public services. Backed by the opposition Democratic Party, these demonstrations quickly escalated into violent clashes with the police, resulting in 167 arrests and 132 injured officers. 

Rama has condemned the protesters as “ideologised and radicalised” while using excess force on them. For younger Albanians, the question is also whether they can build secure futures in their own country, particularly when their government seems to be working in favour of foreign interests. 

Italy: Protests Against High Costs of Living

Thousands of Italian students and workers gathered together in Milan, Turin and Bologna to march peacefully and protest the rising cost of living, poor school conditions, high fuel prices, low wages, and housing shortages, similar to neighbouring Spain and France. Inflation in Italy rose to 4.2% in September 2026, surpassing the eurozone’s 3.8%, according to government data.

The grassroots movement is referred to as “Italia in Piazza” or Italy in the Streets, and organised nationwide protests on October 17th-18th, 2026. The peaceful marches turned into violent riots where masked rioters clashed with police, looted stores and set property on fire. Protesters threw rocks, firecrackers, fireworks and other objects, while police used tear gas and water cannons. Milan police said 271 people were arrested, most of them minors, and 14 security officers were injured during two days of unrest.

A newly formed group calling itself the “Oct. 17 Movement” has announced what it describes as a “permanent mobilisation” to demonstrate every Saturday at 3 p.m. in cities across Italy.

According to Al-Jazeera, the right-wing government of Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has approved a raft of “security measures”, including the deployment of 500 troops in the financial capital Milan, to curb youth-led protests that turned chaotic.

Protests Across South America

Mexico: Residents Demand Clean Water while Truckers Demand Safety

Mexican protesters are demanding answers and clean tap water in Guadalajara, one of Mexico’s biggest cities, over a worsening water-quality crisis that has left many households reporting ​foul-smelling, sediment-filled tap water.  According to residents of the western state of Jalisco, for at least 15 years, ​the water arriving at their homes has often been cloudy and brown. The situation has driven residents into the streets, because many feel the economic development in Guadalajara, which ‌was one ⁠of Mexico’s host cities for the World Cup this year, has come at the expense of environmental protection.

During the protest on 18th October, protesters climbed on the windows of Jalisco’s state government building, spray-painting it with graffiti. It was the second protest by residents demanding clean tap water. The issue came into the ‌national spotlight after police deployed water cannons and tear gas; dozens of people were injured, and officials said nearly 40 people were arrested at a major protest. The incident prompted President Claudia Sheinbaum to rebuke the police for their tough response and pledge to review two water infrastructure projects for the area.

Protestors and residents are planning further demonstrations in the coming days, with videos circulating on social ​media of people collecting buckets and jars of murky brown or black water flowing from their taps.

On October 26th, Mexico’s truckers called an indefinite national strike to protest against robberies, extortion and protection payments on Mexican highways, and about roads in poor repair. This is specially concerning for the United States, as Mexico is its largest trading partner. Mexico’s trucks carry goods across the border every day and organisers estimate that up to 21,000 daily crossings, worth about US$1.8 billion, could stop.

Colombia Mobilises Against Far-Right Government Policies

In Colombia, thousands of people took part in a national day of protests on 14th October against the far-right government of President Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office in August. 

A coalition of opposition parties, trade unions, indigenous groups and social movements joined demonstrations led by the country’s former left-wing President Gustavo Petro. Under Petro, Colombia expanded access to public universities, increased the minimum wage and improved labour protections for workers. 

However, opposition groups say many of those reforms are now under threat, as the new government makes cuts to them. Demonstrators are now demanding reversals of the administration’s economic and social policies, advocating for labour rights, raising the minimum wage, lowering food costs, and increased funding for public education. Teachers’ unions are demanding better working conditions and health care. Student and Indigenous groups want greater protection of their rights.

Some demonstrators are also protesting the country’s new foreign policy. On 14th October, de la Espriella’s government opened a Colombian embassy in Jerusalem. Petro had been a staunch supporter of Palestine and had cut relations with Israel over its genocidal war against Gaza. But de la Espriella has moved to restore the severed ties since taking office. Several demonstrators carried Palestinian flags as a sign of solidarity.

In the capital, the riot police responded with tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets and armoured vehicles to break up a peaceful seated protest, with witnesses saying the action was unprovoked. There were further cases of police repression – unwarranted, according to human rights observers – in Popayán and Ibague.

Argentina: Students Fight for Public Universities and Education Funds

In Argentina, thousands of demonstrators, including students, university employees, trade unionists and opposition supporters, gathered in Buenos Aires on 15th October to protest against President Javier Milei’s austerity policies and demand greater funding for public universities and healthcare. The protest shows deep discontent among a large part of the Argentine middle class.

Congress passed the law in 2025 to increase salaries, restore scholarships and support university operations. Milei vetoed it, but lawmakers overrode his veto. However, the government has continued withholding the funding despite court orders, arguing that the spending threatens its balanced-budget programme. 

For students, the issue is particularly immediate: the quality and accessibility of higher education can shape their future, employment prospects and either guarantee or undermine their financial security.

Most demonstrators protested peacefully, but clashes involving some protesters and police brought tear gas and water cannons. Security Ministry sources reported at least 25 arrests and eight injured officers. 

Brazil: Political Mobilisation for President Lula During 2026 Elections

Brazil’s demonstrators have been mobilising and rallying support for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva after Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, won the October 4th vote, raising concerns among his opponents that the far right could return to power. 

On October 7th, thousands joined a student-led march in Rio de Janeiro, urging people to vote for Lula, a vocal critic of U.S. President Donald Trump, and reject another Bolsonaro presidency. On 11th October, thousands of people gathered along Avenida Paulista in São Paulo for a demonstration supporting Lula’s re-election. The event, called the March for Democracy, was organised by social movements and attracted support from student groups, football supporters and online fan communities. 

Students and demonstrators oppose Bolsonaro’s proposed spending cuts, which he has linked to an economic approach similar to Argentine President Javier Milei’s. By October 18th, artists and social groups had joined pro-Lula events in several cities. Bolsonaro supporters also held rallies as both campaigns sought support before the final vote.

The presidential election on October 25th saw Lula beat Bolsonaro in a historic fourth term win. Brazilians might have re-elected Lula, but Bolsonaro has rejected the results, which could cause unrest in the coming days. 

Ecuador: Protestors Demand Basic Rights Amidst a Drought Threat

On 8th October, unions, Indigenous groups and civil society organisations held demonstrations across six cities to protest against Daniel Noboa’s government’s failure to improve health, education, employment, and security in Ecuador.

Protesters marched again on 10th October, demanding better access to healthcare, education and decent jobs, during a youth-led demonstration in Quito. 

At the same time, El Niño-related droughts are threatening Ecuador’s water reserves, the backbone of the country’s energy production, increasing the likelihood of power cuts in the coming weeks, possibly adding to citizens’ grievances.

Chile: Students Protest Education Cuts

In Chile, students marched in the streets of Santiago on 1st October to defend public education ahead of parliamentary discussions about the 2027 budget, as anger grows over President Kast’s austerity budget. 

The public fears that reduced funding could deepen inequality and limit opportunities for working-class communities. Teachers, university students, trade-union representatives and other members of the public joined the march. Demonstrators gathered at Plaza Italia before marching down La Alameda toward the La Moneda presidential palace. About 800 meters into the route, riot police blocked the march and clashed with the protesters, firing water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. 

The conservative leader, who took office in March on an austerity platform, has pledged to protect free higher education for more than 600,000 students, backing down from earlier discussions to restrict the program. But student leaders argue that broader funding for the sector remains severely at risk.

While the government has not yet released the full text of the 2027 fiscal package, leaked details reported by local media reveal significant rollbacks in the Ministry of Education’s draft, including reductions in direct funding for state universities.

Protests in Asia

Indonesia: Students Protest Wildfires, Environmental Policies and the Cost of Living

Throughout October, students and residents across Indonesia protested against the government’s lacklustre response to environmentally destructive forest fires and land clearings, which have contributed to toxic haze affecting communities across the country. They are demanding stronger firefighting efforts, transparency over disaster spending and action against companies allegedly responsible for illegal burning. 

Demonstrations spread from South Sumatra and Jambi to other regions, with protesters also calling for a national disaster declaration and better support for affected communities. An El Niño-driven drought has left forests and peatlands highly flammable. The current haze is linked to fires on Indonesia’s Sumatra and Borneo islands, where dry conditions and land-clearing fires have worsened the smoke.

Students and civil society groups took to the streets on 20th October, marking the second anniversary of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration, linking environmental destruction to wider concerns over economic issues, government accountability, and the cost of education and healthcare. Police used water cannon during protests in Jambi, while a demonstration in Palembang left journalists, students and a police officer injured.

Winds carried the pollution across the region, affecting Malaysia before it reached Singapore, prompting school closures in affected areas of Malaysia and subsidised treatment for haze-related illnesses in Singapore. These situations show how people across the region can also suffer from poor environmental management. As climate change brings more disasters, this pollution may also harm public health and economic activity across borders.

India: Youth Movements, Education Reforms and Electoral Policies

India has recently seen an uprising in student and youth-led protests in 2026. 

May – July 2026: During the summer, India witnessed a major youth-led protest movement sparked by the cancellation of the country’s medical entrance examination following a paper leak. After authorities cancelled the exam and announced a retest for June, more than two million candidates faced renewed uncertainty after months, and in many cases years, of preparation. The disruption intensified pressure on students in an already fiercely competitive education system, with reports of multiple student suicides intensifying public anger. 

The satirical Cockroach Janta Party, founded by Abhijeet Dipke, helped mobilise young people both online and on the streets. On 20th July, thousands attempted to march towards Parliament in New Delhi, where police used tear gas and batons and detained demonstrators. Images of the police crackdown fuelled further outrage, while protests continued across the country. On 25th July, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned amid sustained public pressure. What began as outrage over examination malpractice grew into a wider movement representing frustrations over educational inequality, institutional accountability and the pressures facing young people.

October: Currently, India’s youth are demanding the resignation of the country’s Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, over the removal of some 130 million names from the rolls by election authorities, who have defended the process, saying the exercise was intended to weed out ineligible voters. But critics of the process, known as the Special Intensive Revision, said it was designed to bolster Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 

The demonstrations have been met with a heavy-handed response from Indian authorities, who locked down the capital, New Delhi, and detained leaders of the burgeoning Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). An Indian court on Monday extended the detention of two Cockroach movement leaders, Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das. Reports of detentions and the treatment of journalists covering demonstrations have raised concerns about freedom of expression and the right to protest. It also raises the question: how can citizens trust an electoral process if they are uncertain whether their right to vote will be protected?

The protests may differ from country to country, but the themes are similar: cost of living crises, affordable housing, education and employment security, environmental concerns, political accountability and the rise of fascism and states attempting to take away freedom and rights to protest. 

Whilst these are widely considered youth-led movements, most of them have allies from all sorts of ages and backgrounds, with intersections of class, gender and race. When students struggle to access education, workers cannot keep up with living costs and families cannot afford housing, the resulting frustration can cross generational boundaries. 

This does pose the question of whether there’s something inherent in the universal Gen Z experience that is causing so many to take this sort of direct political action. Having inherited from birth climate precarity, financial instability and social inequality, is it any surprise we are seeing these movements led by a generation who have been handed a dying planet and the prospect of never being able to afford a house?

And when governments keep ignoring the needs of their citizens and focus on nothing but corporate profits, ensuring billionaires get tax breaks from their mega yachts, they can’t really expect a different result. People around the world are questioning the status quo and demanding policies that improve the quality of life of regular, everyday people. 

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References and Further Reading:

The following sources provide reporting on the protests and their national contexts. Crowd estimates should be attributed to the organisation or authority providing them, as figures can differ.

Europe

1. France Protests Explained – Cody Dahler
2. Reuters – France in turmoil: What might follow a weekend of riots?
3. Associated Press — From France to Albania, social unrest is setting Europe’s streets ablaze. 
4. Al Jazeera — Cost of living protests hit Belgium, Italy, Portugal and France.
5. The Guardian — Why are people protesting across Europe?. 
6. ABC News Australia — What you need to know about Europe’s protests, and why they’re growing. 
7. Reuters — Portugal housing protesters return to squares, vow to press on.
8. The Guardian — Protests spread to Lisbon and Milan as housing and living cost tensions intensify.
9. The Irish Times — Europe’s angry autumn: what’s driving the wave of protests?

South America

1. Reuters – Worsening water crisis sparks protests in Mexico’s Guadalajara
2. Rio Times – Mexico Truckers Strike Hits Roads on 26 Oct
3. Reuters Connect — Chilean students march to defend public education as Congress debates the 2027 budget. 
4. ACLED – Are Ecuador’s protests a warning sign for President Noboa?
5. Reuters via UOL — Large university demonstration against Milei ends in clashes in Argentina. 
6. Agência Brasil — Rally in support of Lula’s re-election draws thousands to Avenida Paulista. 
7. Reuters – Brazil’s Lula wins historic fourth term, Flavio Bolsonaro refuses to concede

Asia

1. Nutshell Today – Indonesia prepares for fresh protests as anger over fires and the economy grows
2. Reuters Connect — Indonesia: Protests erupt in several cities over wildfires and toxic haze. 
3. Reuters — Indonesia to deploy more than 9,000 security officers at protests marking Prabowo’s two years in power. 
4. Reuters – Explainer: Why is the haze so bad in Southeast Asia this year?
5. Reuters —Protests erupt in India after key college entrance test is cancelled
6. Reuters — Protests intensify in India over demands for election chief to quit.
7. Reuters — Gen Z pours onto India’s streets as dissent surges. 
8. Reuters — Reporters accuse India of crackdown on journalists at youth-led protests.