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Students in Athens, the capital of Greece, set up tents in Syntagma Square on October 13 to protest rising rent, energy bills and education costs. Despite heavy rain, demonstrators spent the night in the tents.
The demonstration, organized by student associations in Athens, began with a rally outside the Ministry of Finance before moving to Syntagma Square, where concerts and an overnight protest were held. Students said growing financial pressures were forcing some to turn down university places and others to abandon their studies.
Housing costs are students’ main concern
Students say it is becoming increasingly difficult to find affordable housing near universities. Reuters reports that growing demand for rental homes close to campuses has made it harder for students living away from their families to find accommodation within their budgets.
Student associations say rent, utility bills, textbooks and other education costs have become a heavy burden for many families. They say the situation is particularly limiting access to higher education for low-income students who must move to another city to study.
Students’ demands
Demonstrators are calling for rent controls, increased housing allowances and the construction of more publicly funded student dormitories. Student associations are also seeking a higher income threshold for eligibility for support, the removal of academic-performance requirements and free accommodation for first-year students facing financial hardship.
Other demands include renovating and expanding dormitories, increasing university funding, reducing the cost of textbooks and supplies, and lowering electricity and fuel prices. Students are also calling for free meals, public transport and internet access, as well as more flexible rules for transferring between universities for students in financial difficulty.
Student associations say universities face staff shortages, infrastructure problems and rising day-to-day costs, and have called for increased public investment. They have criticized government policies allowing private universities to be established, saying these could harm public higher education. Organizers are urging the government to change its spending priorities and allocate more funding to education and social services.
The protest in Athens came amid demonstrations in other European countries over education funding, housing and living costs. In France, school pupils, university students and teachers have protested against education costs, staff shortages and conditions in schools. According to Reuters, French school pupils have held demonstrations for four consecutive weeks.
In Spain, protesters have opposed rising housing costs, while students in Belgium have protested tuition increases and cuts to the education budget. University buildings have also been occupied in Italy, including in Rome and Turin. Organizers of the Athens protest said demonstrations in France and Spain had inspired them.
Demonstrators planned to keep their tent camp in Syntagma Square until Wednesday. Student associations hope the protest will prompt the government to take steps to ease rising housing and education costs and make higher education more accessible.
