Thousands of students, teachers, and public sector workers marched through Athens and other Greek cities to demand increased education funding, smaller class sizes, and better school facilities.
Greek police reported that approximately 10,000 demonstrators gathered peacefully in central Athens and surrounding suburbs. Protesters chanted slogans outside Parliament, where students had also held an overnight sit-in. Similar rallies took place in Thessaloniki, Patras, and Larissa. The demonstrations coincided with strikes by primary and secondary school teachers addressing low wages and staff shortages, alongside substitute teachers calling for permanent positions.
The protests in Greece are part of a broader wave of youth-led demonstrations spreading across Europe—including in France and Albania—driven by anger over soaring living costs, high rents, stagnant wages, and strained public resources. Demonstrators in Greece highlighted ongoing financial pressures, noting that average monthly salaries remain at 2009 levels while energy and housing costs continue to rise.
The rallies increase pressure on Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his centre-right government ahead of the 2027 elections. Education Minister Sofia Zacharaki stated prior to the demonstrations that the government is listening to student concerns and investing over 733 million euros in new student residences and facility upgrades, while the administration has also pledged approximately one billion euros in subsidies to help households offset high energy costs and inflation.
