Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets across Spain and France in recent days, expressing growing frustration over housing affordability and education system shortcomings, respectively. The demonstrations underscore a wider unease among younger generations in Western Europe who feel deprived of the socioeconomic stability enjoyed by their parents.

In Spain, protests have erupted in more than 50 cities, sparked in part by a high-profile eviction case in Madrid. An 87-year-old woman was forced out of her home after an investment fund increased her rent by 230%. With rents having climbed approximately 80% over the past decade, many young adults find themselves spending more than half their income on housing. A one-bedroom apartment’s rent can equal the country’s median monthly salary, exacerbating affordability challenges. Protesters accuse the government of enabling property speculation, pointing to rising rents, stagnant wages, and the growth of short-term tourist rentals as key factors undermining their ability to live independently.

Meanwhile, in France, high school students have staged protests that turned violent in some areas, particularly around Paris’s northern suburbs. Their grievances include excessive school hours—up to 10 hours a day—teacher absenteeism, deteriorating school infrastructure, and an opaque university admissions process. Students say budget cuts have left classrooms with leaking roofs, pest infestations, and crumbling ceilings, viewing underfunding as a barrier to social mobility rather than a remedy. Slogans like “More hours in class than for sleep” and “Fund study, not repression” have been prominent in the demonstrations.

Both countries’ governments face significant constraints in responding. Lacking stable parliamentary majorities and burdened by fiscal limits, authorities have limited capacity to enact comprehensive reforms. In France, authorities’ often heavy-handed police responses have risked further alienating young protesters.

The protests have also become a political battleground. In France, left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who enjoys strong support among voters under 35, has openly supported the demonstrations. Similarly, Spain’s left-leaning parties Podemos and Sumar blame financial capitalism for the housing crisis. Conversely, far-right actors in both countries have framed the unrest as symptomatic of lawlessness. Marine Le Pen’s National Rally in France has criticized centrist leaders for tolerating violence, while Spain’s far-right Vox party has joined conservatives in opposing government housing relief measures, arguing that such interventions unfairly penalize landlords.

Taken together, these movements highlight the challenges facing mainstream parties as they attempt to address deeply rooted structural issues. Many young people view incremental policy responses as inadequate to their broader economic and social struggles. As protesters in Madrid have expressed, the political system appears increasingly out of sync with their needs, raising questions about the legitimacy of established governments across Europe.