Thousands of students protest across Greece, citing recent demonstrations in France and Europe

Thousands of students demonstrated across Greece on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, according to France 24 and Daily Sabah. Both outlets linked the protests to recent demonstrations in France and other parts of Europe. France 24 described the Greek protests as inspired by them. Daily Sabah said they cited similar grievances.

According to Daily Sabah, students protested against the high cost of living. Police estimated that at least 5,000 people attended the protest in Athens, the outlet reported. It said similar protests took place in other major Greek cities. On Tuesday, 20 October, dozens of students set up tents in Athens' Syntagma Square, facing Parliament, and on a pedestrian street in Thessaloniki, according to the same report. State hospital doctors and civil servants also went on strike on Wednesday.

Education conditions

Daily Sabah reported that secondary school pupils and teachers are protesting poor infrastructure, staff shortages and insufficient public spending on education. The outlet cited Eurostat data showing that Greece spent 3.3% of national output on education in 2023. That is among the lowest shares in the EU and below the European average of 4.7%.

The outlet also reported several recent incidents. Earlier this month, falling roof plaster injured a 14-year-old schoolboy in a classroom in Thermi, near Thessaloniki. On Monday, 19 October, a similar incident occurred at the entrance of an Athens school outside operating hours. A major school complex in Athens has been closed for almost two weeks over a suspected gas leak, which is under investigation. The closure affects some 4,000 pupils.

Context in France

According to Daily Sabah, French cities saw some of the country's worst rioting in recent years on Saturday. Public buildings were set on fire, hundreds of shops were looted and more than 2,000 people were arrested. The outlet reported that the Greek government has sought in recent days to avoid any comparison with the protests and violence in France.

What each side says

Daily Sabah quoted Katia Koubousidou, head of a student union at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, as saying: "In Greece, like in France, we are demanding public, free education." She added: "This will not be a one-off protest. We have a plan to continue our demonstrations."

On Monday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the country would "never return to the era of great social unrest" seen during the financial crisis more than a decade ago, according to Daily Sabah. The report includes only part of his remarks.

The teachers' union OLME says Greece has a nationwide shortage of 15,000 secondary school teachers, Daily Sabah reported. Education unions and student groups have long called for more spending on dilapidated school buildings and for more staff.

Daily Sabah quoted Yiannis Papanikolaou, a 17-year-old pupil from Athens, as saying: "School buildings are terrible and poorly maintained."

What the reports do not include

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include organisers' attendance figures or figures for cities other than Athens. They do not say whether there were clashes, injuries or arrests in Greece. They do not include a direct government response to the demands or to OLME's figure. France 24's report consists of a one-sentence summary.

Analysis

The protests bring together two separate issues: the cost of living and the condition of public schools. The government's reported effort to avoid comparisons with France suggests that the way the protests are framed may matter politically. Several outcomes are possible. The protests could continue as organisers say they plan, or they could fade. The government could also respond with policy measures, though the reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not describe any. The education spending data and the reported school incidents give context to the protesters' complaints. They do not by themselves show what caused the protests.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.