Thousands march in Greece over public education failures and cost of living
Crowds are also marching in cities across Greece right now calling for better classroom conditions and higher pay for teachers.
Thousands of students, teachers and civil servants have shown up in Athens, with demonstrations also in Thessaloniki and other cities. Some protesters say they’ve been inspired by the rallies in France and Spain.
The primary school teachers union has launched a 24-hour strike while the high school teachers’ federation has also announced a three-hour stoppage, local media report.
Students chant slogans during a protest over rising housing costs and underfunded education, in solidarity with students in France and Spain, in Athens, Greece, October 21, 2026. Photograph: Stelios Misinas/Reuters
Nationwide education protests are being held in many cities across Greece, with the participation of school pupils, university students, teachers, and public sector workers. EPA/GEORGE VITSARAS Photograph: George Vitsaras/EPA
Students in Athens Photograph: Stelios Misinas/ReutersShare
Updated at 09.09 EDT
Key events
13h ago
Closing summary
14h ago
US, Ukraine discussed the worsening situation in Oleshky, Kyiv’s negotiator said
14h ago
‘Ukrainian conflict heading towards its conclusion,’ Kremlin aide says, as trilateral talks earmarked for mid-November
15h ago
Government, popular websites go dark as developers race to patch newly-discovered vulnerability
15h ago
Russia open to restarting trilateral talks with Ukraine and the US, but ‘not much substance’ in Oslo proposals, Kremlin says
15h ago
More than 10,000 join education protests in Athens
15h ago
Will Europe’s angry protests lead to real political change?
16h ago
A student protest movement has gripped Serbia for two years. This weekend it will try to take power
16h ago
Thousands march in Greece over public education failures and cost of living
16h ago
Macron arrives in Saudi Arabia as he continues his Gulf tour
17h ago
Witkoff’s meeting with Putin ends
17h ago
Q&A on French protests, riots on Friday – ask your questions
17h ago
Southern Italy running out of jet fuel, products, medicines as lorry protest continues
17h ago
Trump hails ‘unprecedented’ release of US citizen by Russia
18h ago
Why are French police so violent? Their job is to protect the state, not the people
19h ago
Macron blasts ‘unacceptable’ and ‘stupid’ commentary on French protests from other leaders
19h ago
Russia will analyse US proposals, but it’s on Ukraine to make progress, Kremlin says
19h ago
Russia releases American man imprisoned for fighting in Ukraine
20h ago
Witkoff meeting Putin in St Petersburg
20h ago
Republicans push back on Donald Trump’s wavering support for Ukraine
21h ago
Ukraine’s anti-corruption police search National Bank premises
21h ago
Morning opening: Witkoff meets Putin in St Petersburg for talks on Ukraine
Closing summary
Jakub Krupa
And, on that note, we will be closing the blog for today.
Thousands of people joined education protests across Greece, calling for better classroom conditions and higher pay for teachers, in demonstrations echoing demands seen in France (14:42, 16:00).
Two airports have run out of jet fuel, supermarket shelves across southern Italy are standing empty and pharmacies are running short of medicines as Italian lorry drivers continue to blockade roads in protest against soaring fuel prices caused by the war in Iran (13:49).
French president Emmanuel Macron blasted “unacceptable” and “stupid” comments on the protests and riots in France from foreign leaders, accusing them of “campaigning at our expense” (12:22).
In other news,
Russia has signalled its readiness to restart trilateral talks with the US and Ukraine on ending the war, despite calling the new proposals emerging from yesterday’s discussions in Oslo as lacking substance (11:19, 12:22, 16:15).
This signal came hours after US envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russia’s president Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg (14:06).
On the margins of the meeting, Russia released a US citizen held by Moscow on allegations of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine (11:24, 13:24).
If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com.
I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.
ShareUS, Ukraine discussed the worsening situation in Oleshky, Kyiv’s negotiator said
Ukraine and US negotiators discussed the situation in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, Davyd Arakhamia – a member of Kyiv’s negotiating team – was quoted by local media via Reuters as saying.
“We discussed it yesterday, and the informal outcome of this meeting is that there should be some good news next week,” he told media outlet RBC-Ukraine.
Residents of the Ukrainian town, occupied by Russian forces since February 2022, have reported a deepening food crisis as roads in and out are heavily mined and saturated by drones.
Last week, Pope Leo urged Russia’s Vladimir Putin to allow humanitarian aid to the city.
Share‘Ukrainian conflict heading towards its conclusion,’ Kremlin aide says, as trilateral talks earmarked for mid-November
We are still getting more lines from the Kremlin, with Interfax news agency reporting that a new round of trilateral Russia, US, Ukraine talks could take place in Abu Dhabi in mid-November.
Curiously, despite his less enthusiastic comments earlier, Interfax also has Kremlin’s Ushakov saying that “the Ukrainian conflict is heading toward its conclusion.”
One to watch.
ShareGovernment, popular websites go dark as developers race to patch newly-discovered vulnerability
There is also a fascinating story unfolding online, as government websites in Europe and elsewhere went offline after the disclosure of critical vulnerabilities in a widely used programming language sent website operators scrambling to protect their systems, Reuters reported.
The Dutch National Cyber Security Center website is temporarily unavailable. Photograph: ANP/Shutterstock
Developers of the PHP programming language said Tuesday they had identified two critical vulnerabilities and urged users to update their sites as soon as a fix was released. They said on Wednesday that a new version fixing the vulnerabilities was live.
But with reports that hackers were exploiting the flaws to break into websites, government agencies in the Netherlands and Finland were among those that took sites offline ahead of the fix as a precaution.
PHP underpins large parts of the internet, raising concerns that a significant number of websites could be vulnerable to attack.
Updated at 10.44 EDT
Russia open to restarting trilateral talks with Ukraine and the US, but ‘not much substance’ in Oslo proposals, Kremlin says
Meanwhile, we now have a longer reaction from the Kremlin to the proposals US peace envoy Steve Witkoff relayed to president Vladimir Putin, warning they were “lacking substance.”
Russian president Vladimir Putin welcomes US president’s special envoy Steve Witkoff before a meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia. Photograph: Gavriil Grigorov/SPUTNIK/KREMLIN POOL/EPA
“Steve Witkoff briefed Vladimir Putin on the substance of the talks held in Oslo,” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters, referring to talks Witkoff held in Norway with Ukrainian and European officials on Tuesday.
“He mentioned some new aspects in the approaches of the Europeans and Kyiv… but there wasn’t really much substance in them.”
(That’s very much not what Zelenskyy and the Europeans said last night.)
“Our president informed Steve Witkoff that we are, in principle, ready to resume the mentioned (trilateral) talks,” he added, saying they could take place in mid-November.
Updated at 10.29 EDT
More than 10,000 join education protests in Athens
Helena Smith
in Athens
Back again to Greece where tens of thousands of students have joined the burgeoning youth movement demanding better education better prospects amid an ever worsening cost of living crisis in the Mediterranean EU member.
Students, school pupils, teachers and university professors take part in a large education protest in Athens, Greece. Photograph: Harris Xanthopoulos/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
Greece is no newcomer to protests. The massive demonstrations that roiled the country at the height of its debt crisis are still remembered vividly by the parents of the Gen Z protesters now out on the streets.
But for the tens of thousands who marched through Athens, Thessaloniki and other cities today, it was France, as well as the perceived shortcomings of a long under-funded education system, that had spurred them into action.
“From Greece to France we’re fighting for public and free education,” proclaimed a giant banner erected above a stage in front of the Athens parliament in Syntagma Square.
Students, school pupils, teachers and university professors take part in a large education protest in Athens, Greece. Photograph: Harris Xanthopoulos/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
Singing French partisan songs, Greek students participating in the Athens rally, said the French protests were not only admirable but had been an inspiration.
“No one is doubting their message or concerns, even if [media] coverage is mostly focused on the violence,” said Fotini, enrolled at a university in the capital.
“We’re here to say we’re with French youth. Our parents endured so many hardships, so much sacrifice, and they feel really upset and enraged that we, too, have so few prospects. A lot of us are still forced to live with our families, even after we graduate, because the cost of living and house rents are so high.”
The protests, which included a one-day ‘solidarity ‘ strike by teachers, have seen students erect tents infront of the Greek parliament to protest against the soaring costs of education.
Many have privately run colleges – a trend that has included British universities establishing branches in the capital – in their sights. “No to private universities. Free and contemporary studies for all,” read another boldly painted banner erected in the plaza.
“No to private universities. Free Contemporary studies for all,” proclaimed a banner erected on Syntagma Square. Photograph: Helena Smith/The GuardianShare
Updated at 10.48 EDT
Will Europe’s angry protests lead to real political change?
Ashifa Kassam
European community affairs correspondent
Much of the news coverage in recent days has focused on the violence that played out on the fringes of the protests in France and Italy.
A woman walks past a building with graffiti that reads “The ultra-rich against everyone” and “No justice, no peace.” after the weekend protests over the cost of living turned into rioting and looting across France, in Paris. Photograph: Teresa Suárez/AP
The protests themselves, however, point to what seems to be a diverse response to a common crisis: the growing perception, particularly among younger generations, that governments are unable, or unwilling, to deliver when it comes to affordable housing, social equality and robust public services.
“This is the most powerful warning from Europe’s angry youth today, in France and across the continent,” the policy analyst Alberto Alemanno said.
The framing stands in sharp contrast to the many rightwing and far-right voices who have sought to exploit the violence in France and Italy, linking it without evidence to migration while brushing over protesters’ wider demands.
ShareA student protest movement has gripped Serbia for two years. This weekend it will try to take power
Julian Borger
in Belgrade
On Sunday, a mass student movement, Student List, will represent the most serious challenge Aleksandar Vučić has faced in his 12 increasingly authoritarian years in power, by putting forward their own candidates in parliamentary elections.
They hope to emulate the defeat of Vučić’s ally, Viktor Orbán, in neighbouring Hungary six months ago, in a domino effect that could bring a democratic resurgence to central Europe.
Supporters of the Students List stage a protest in front of Serbia’s Election Commission headquarters in Belgrade, Serbia. Photograph: Marko Drobnjaković/AP
Opinion polls have varied wildly, but many expert observers say a close race is quite possible, with neither side prepared to accept a loss as a legitimate result, raising the risk of post-election unrest and clashes.
In order to win, the students’ list of 250 candidates would have to break the mould of Serbian politics, along with Vučić’s grip on the country.
A billboard with an image of Aleksandar Vučić, former authoritarian president, is seen on a closed brewery in Belgrade, Serbia. Photograph: Darko Vojinović/AP
He stepped down as president last month, five months before the end of his second and last term in office under the constitution, but only with the aim of extending his hold on power as prime minister at the head of his Serbian Progressive party (SNS).
Updated at 09.50 EDT
Thousands march in Greece over public education failures and cost of living
Crowds are also marching in cities across Greece right now calling for better classroom conditions and higher pay for teachers.
Thousands of students, teachers and civil servants have shown up in Athens, with demonstrations also in Thessaloniki and other cities. Some protesters say they’ve been inspired by the rallies in France and Spain.
The primary school teachers union has launched a 24-hour strike while the high school teachers’ federation has also announced a three-hour stoppage, local media report.
Students chant slogans during a protest over rising housing costs and underfunded education, in solidarity with students in France and Spain, in Athens, Greece, October 21, 2026. Photograph: Stelios Misinas/ReutersNationwide education protests are being held in many cities across Greece, with the participation of school pupils, university students, teachers, and public sector workers. EPA/GEORGE VITSARAS Photograph: George Vitsaras/EPAStudents in Athens Photograph: Stelios Misinas/ReutersShare
Updated at 09.09 EDT
Macron arrives in Saudi Arabia as he continues his Gulf tour
The Elysée has just announced that the French president Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Saudi Arabia.
As we’ve been reporting, Macron is facing major protests at home, but has embarked on a wider tour of the Gulf, arriving in Qatar yesterday.
His Saudi Arabia stop had not been advertised but it’s not a major surprise – France has recently pledged more military support to the kingdom which is currently fighting the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group in Yemen. France has committed some assistance to protect the state’s oil production facilities.
Updated at 09.11 EDT
Witkoff’s meeting with Putin ends
We are getting a line from Russian news wires that the meeting between Putin and Witkoff has just ended.
Let’s see if we get more detail from either side.
US president Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff gestures during his meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin at the Konstantin Palace in St Petersburg, Russia. Photograph: Gavriil Grigorov/Pool Sputnik Kremlin/APShare
Updated at 08.08 EDT
Q&A on French protests, riots on Friday – ask your questions
By the way, this Friday Guardian Europe’s France-based columnists Rokhaya Diallo and Alexander Hurst will be live taking questions from our readers about the riots and protests in France.
Alexander Hurst and Rokhaya Diallo. Composite: Guardian Design
You can send your questions by email now to conversations@theguardian.com, or join the discussion on Friday.
ShareSouthern Italy running out of jet fuel, products, medicines as lorry protest continues
Lorenzo Tondo
in Palermo
Meanwhile, two airports have run out of jet fuel, supermarket shelves across southern Italy are standing empty and pharmacies are running short of medicines as lorry drivers continue to blockade roads in protest against soaring fuel prices caused by the war in Iran.
Trucks and passenger vehicles line the roadway during a blockade organized by agricultural workers and truck drivers at the Sant’Onofrio junction in Vibo Valentia, Calabria, Italy. Photograph: Valeria Ferraro/Anadolu/Getty Images
Italy’s air traffic management agency, ENAV, said on Wednesday that airports in Crotone and Reggio Calabria had run out of aviation fuel because of disruptions to supplies caused by the protests. It warned that pilots would have to refuel at their departure airports or earlier stops, carrying enough fuel for subsequent flights.
The protests began last week, with lorry drivers blocking roads and slowing traffic across the country, particularly in the south, following strikes and sit-ins by farmers and fishers. The disruption has left supermarket shelves empty in several regions, with photographs showing entire aisles stripped of goods.
Empty shelves are seen inside a supermarket as truck drivers and agricultural workers protest against high living costs and rising fuel prices in Vibo Valentia, Calabria. Photograph: Valeria Ferraro/Anadolu/Getty Images
A video of a lorry driver’s teenage daughter breaking down in tears has gone viral after she said her family could no longer afford to go out at weekends because they were struggling to pay their bills.
Italy’s infrastructure minister, Matteo Salvini, has proposed €430m in financial support, but the motorway blockades and lengthy traffic jams continue, putting the government under growing pressure as anger over the cost of living mounts.
The protests have also sparked criticism of Italy’s public broadcaster, Rai, which has been accused of giving greater prominence to violent student demonstrations in Milan than to the economic hardship facing families and lorry drivers in the south. Critics say the coverage plays into the government’s increasingly hardline approach to protests while diverting attention from the growing cost-of-living crisis.