Activists urge European cost-of-living protests in late November

Housing rights groups, unions and other activists from seven European countries on Tuesday called for “coordinated demonstrations across Europe” against the rising cost of living later this month.

After spontaneous protests in several European nations, representatives from rights groups and unions from France, Britain, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece at a meeting in Paris urged rallies on Friday, Nov 20, and the following weekend.

“The organisations denounce the runaway rise in the cost of living, with housing out of reach and basic food and transport increasingly unaffordable, and warn of a return of austerity linked to the demands of public-debt creditors and the arms race,” they said in a joint statement.

Common demands included “guaranteeing the right to housing”, “controls to bring down the price of housing, food and energy”, “higher wages and pensions” and “universal, high-quality public services, including education and healthcare”.

French participants included the USL high school student association that has been involved in school strikes since September.

Also present were the CGT labour union and Yellow Vest movement that have joined students in cost-of-living protests over the past three weekends.

Groups from the UK included the London Renters Union and the Greater Manchester Tenants Union from northwest England.