Thousands of people took to the streets in France, Albania and Spain on Saturday, 24 October, to demand action on issues ranging from the cost of living and education to pensions and public services.
The demonstrations were marked by clashes, arrests and tear gas in French cities and the Albanian capital, Tirana. In Madrid, meanwhile, thousands of people took part in a peaceful march calling for the protection of Spain’s public pension system.
Although the protests had different focuses, they reflected widespread concerns over economic and social conditions, with students, workers and pensioners calling for changes to government policies.
France deploys 70,000 police officers as protests continue
Protests continued across France for a second consecutive Saturday, with authorities deploying around 70,000 police officers and gendarmes nationwide — 10,000 more than the previous week.
According to provisional figures released by Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, 135 people had been detained by 1pm, while around 35,000 people took part in 136 demonstrations.
The figures, reported by Le Monde, represented a decline compared with the same time on 17 October, when 60,000 demonstrators had participated in 264 protests.
Nuñez said many of the detentions followed preventive checks during which police found fireworks, metal balls and other objects that could potentially be used as weapons.
According to Reuters, the government significantly increased security measures to prevent a repeat of the widespread unrest and looting reported on 17 October.
In Lyon, police used tear gas to disperse a gathering near Lyon 3 University. Clashes subsequently broke out in the Saxe-Gambetta area, where demonstrators threw objects and fireworks at officers. French newspaper Le Progrès reported that at least 17 people had been arrested during the morning.
Further unrest was reported in Marseille, where masked individuals threw objects and set fire to rubbish bins. In Nantes, nine arrests were announced, while police used tear gas and a water cannon.
In Paris, the march took place under tight security, with police imposing a different route from the one originally planned by organisers. More than 20 Metro stations remained closed, while shops and cultural institutions suspended operations as a precaution.
The demonstrations initially centred on students’ demands for action to address teacher shortages and improve school facilities. They subsequently broadened to include concerns about rising prices, wages and the state of public services.
Meanwhile, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP) and Le Parisien, prosecutors are investigating the serious injury of a 25-year-old photographer during the previous week’s protests. The photographer alleges that he was injured by a police stun grenade.
On the political front, President Emmanuel Macron has met representatives of student organisations, with a further meeting expected on Monday, 26 October, with Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu.
Albania: Clashes in Tirana as protesters demand government action
Anti-government demonstrations continued in Tirana, drawing students, young people and supporters of the opposition.
According to CNN Greece, demonstrators responding to a call by the Democratic Party of opposition leader Sali Berisha gathered outside the prime minister’s office, where they set fire to chairs that Prime Minister Edi Rama had placed there as a symbolic invitation to dialogue.
The demonstrators subsequently moved towards the Ministry of Education, where separate student protests had been planned.
The Associated Press reported that groups of protesters threw objects at police, prompting security forces to deploy water cannon to disperse gatherings. Euronews also reported that special police units were deployed near the ministry, where stones were thrown at the building and officers.
Tirana, Albania 🇦🇱 No words needed. Just watch. https://t.co/CU5NSPMpTr
— Kruja Chronicles (@FilteredZero) October 24, 2026
Students are demanding lower tuition fees, increased state funding for education and action to tackle corruption. The demonstrations have become part of a broader anti-government movement, with some protesters calling for Rama to resign.
According to CNN Greece, police were also carrying out checks on major roads leading into the capital as demonstrators travelled from other parts of Albania to join the rallies.
Rama said his government was working on responses to the students’ demands and reiterated his invitation to dialogue. He also warned that those involved in violent acts would face the consequences under the law.
The prime minister has rejected calls to step down, as anti-government protests enter their second week.
Spain: Thousands march in Madrid to defend public pensions
In Madrid, thousands of people took part in a peaceful demonstration in defence of Spain’s public pension system, ahead of the early general election scheduled for 29 November.
According to AFP, around 25,000 people participated in the march, based on an estimate by the government’s delegation in Madrid. Organisers put the figure at 50,000, according to Spanish public broadcaster RTVE.
The march began at Atocha railway station and passed through central Madrid, including the area around the Prado Museum and Cibeles Square.
Demonstrators called for the public pension system to remain in public hands, the protection of pensioners’ purchasing power and measures to prevent potential privatisation.
According to Spanish news agency EFE, the demonstration was organised by the State Coordinating Committee for the Defence of the Public Pension System (COESPE). Its main demand was for pensions to be adjusted in line with actual inflation.
Participants also called for minimum pensions to be brought into line with the minimum wage and for measures to reduce inequality. Housing campaign groups also took part, raising concerns about Spain’s housing crisis.
The demonstration came amid a political dispute over the future of the pension system. The government of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has accused the opposition People’s Party (PP) of pursuing changes that could pave the way for partial privatisation.
PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo, meanwhile, has pledged that his party would continue to adjust pensions in line with existing legislation if it wins the election.
Public services and economic pressures fuel protests
The demonstrations across France, Albania and Spain highlighted different aspects of public discontent, from education and corruption to purchasing power, housing and the protection of public services.
While the protests varied in their demands and intensity, they underscored the concerns of students, workers and pensioners over economic pressures and the future of essential public services.
