Youth protests spread across Europe over living costs, housing and job prospects

■ Steady

French school blockades resume Monday as youth protests spread across Europe

Students returning from autumn holidays blocked some French high schools on Monday, aiming to revive the movement despite government concessions made during the break. Protests begun by French high schoolers have spread to Belgium, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain, and German unions have launched strikes over the cost of living. On Sunday, French officials opened an attempted murder investigation after a petrol bomb was thrown at riot police, and protests in several countries turned violent.

• Student unions called the new education measures insufficient, while Macron has urged classes to resume.
• The interior ministry estimated 320,000 protesters across France on Saturday, fewer than on the previous two Saturdays.
• Protests turned violent in France, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal and Albania, with police clearing camps in Portugal and security forces in Switzerland attacked with paving stones.
• Gen Z protests in 34 German cities saw clashes with police, and researchers cite living costs, housing and job prospects as shared drivers.