Unions and housing groups in seven European countries call protests for 20-22 November

Coordinated call from Paris

Unions and housing groups from seven European countries met in Paris on Tuesday, 3 November, and announced coordinated demonstrations for 20, 21 and 22 November. Representatives came from Belgium, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and the United Kingdom. The meeting was convened by the Spanish tenants' union confederation, and its spokesperson, Carme Arcarazo, presented the joint call. The organisers hope to bring millions of people onto the streets across the continent. Arcarazo put the decision to act together in these words.

“We have decided to coordinate to move forward together.”

Demands on housing, food and energy

The groups want a guarantee of the right to housing and control over the prices of housing, food and energy. Their demands also include higher wages and pensions, public services such as education, health and public housing, and the right to work without excluding migrants. They ask for the wealthy to be taxed more and for an end to rearmament policies and to the development of fossil fuels. The call is built on European housing figures: house prices rose by more than 60% between 2010 and 2025, and rents by about 29%. In 2024, more than 16.5 million households, or 8.2% of European households, spent over 40% of their income on housing.

House prices (more than 60%)60%

Rents (about 29%)29%

House prices (more than 60%)

60 %

Rents (about 29%)

29 %

Data from the article text

National movements behind the call

In Spain, the eviction in September of an 87-year-old retiree, who died a few days later, prompted protests and moved housing back to the centre of the national debate. Snap legislative elections are set for 29 November, and the main Spanish unions have called a general strike for 11 November. In France, a national strike is planned for Thursday, 5 November, and high school students who protested over education funding and Parcoursup have been joined by yellow vest groups. Portugal saw camps appear in Lisbon and Porto in October, and a camp is occupying Praça D. Pedro IV in Lisbon. In Italy, the movement began with port workers and led to a general strike on 30 October, according to USB union representative Chiara Capretti.

Youth strike and participants

A youth strike on 20 November is planned in twenty countries, initiated by a Portuguese student association opposed to fossil fuels. On the French side, the CGT, Solidaires, the Droit au logement association and the Union Syndicale Lyceenne have joined the appeal. Benjamin Ball, a spokesperson for the yellow vest coordination, predicted a very large turnout.

“By the millions, we will take to the streets and show that peoples must govern, not billionaires.”

Portugal had no union structures at the Paris meeting, but the Lisbon tenants' group Sindicato de Moradoras de Lisboa (a name that does not make it a formal union), the Climáximo collective and Estudantes pelo Fim ao Fóssil attended. Teresa Mamede, a spokesperson for the Lisbon camp, said the call to action had widened considerably.