# Protests sweep Europe as France imposes curfews > Hundreds of thousands are demonstrating across six countries over cost of living, housing and public services. France has imposed curfews after violent rallies. - Title: Protests sweep Europe as France imposes curfews · Abc - Summary: Hundreds of thousands are demonstrating across six countries over cost of living, housing and public services. France has imposed curfews after violent… - Keywords: france, spain, belgium, italy, portugal, albania, protests, cost of living, housing, public services, curfews, emmanuel macron - Source: Abc — https://abc.net.au/news/2026-10-20/europe-protests-explained-as-demonstrations-grow/107285508 - Published: 2026-10-19T18:06:16+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: france, spain, belgium, italy, portugal, albania, protests, cost of living, housing, public services, curfews, emmanuel macron ## Protests spread across Europe Hundreds of thousands of people are demonstrating in dozens of cities across the continent. The unrest started in France last month and has since spread to six countries. ## France imposes curfews after violence Curfews have been announced in parts of Paris and Lille after some rallies turned violent. Police have arrested hundreds amid looting and extensive damage to businesses and public buildings. ## French protests began with teachers Demonstrations started on September seventeen when teachers at a high school in south-eastern Paris protested about staffing shortages. Students joined in and unrest spread to other schools around the country. ## Grievances broadened beyond education What started about education has broadened to include general cost-of-living issues and cuts to the public sector. At the weekend hundreds of thousands took to the streets around France. ## Spain protests over housing crisis About the same time as French protests started, people in Madrid began demonstrating after an elderly woman was evicted from her home of seventy years by an investment firm which hiked her rent by two… ## Protests timeline across six countries France began September seventeen. Spain followed September twenty-six. Belgium started October first, Italy October fifth, Portugal October tenth, and Albania October twelfth. Each country faces different grievances. ## Macron condemns violence, blames vandals French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the unbridled violence in a television address on Sunday night and blamed radical left-wing vandals for hijacking a movement with legitimate concerns. > unbridled violence ## Elections and escalation ahead France is less than six months from a presidential election. Analysts warn discontent could spread to more countries. Europe faces a super cycle of national elections in the next twelve months. ## Key takeaway Protests have spread across six European countries since September, with France imposing curfews in Paris and Lille after violent demonstrations over cost of living and public services.