Italian students and workers protest against cost of living

Tens of thousands of students and workers took to the streets across Italy on Friday, October 30, to protest against rising living costs, insufficient education funding, and government policies. The nationwide demonstrations, which saw marches in major cities including Rome, Milan, and Naples, were marked by a heavy police presence as the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni implemented stricter security measures.

According to Al Jazeera, protesters also voiced opposition to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, with trade unions joining students to demand an end to the militarisation of ports. The hard-right government has recently tightened laws regarding public gatherings and eased the process for detaining minors following incidents of unrest in Milan earlier in October, where clashes between youth and police led to property damage and looting.

Reports from Gorkhapatra, Nagarik News, and Onlinekhabar highlight that students have been occupying schools and setting up protest camps for several weeks. These groups are specifically challenging the Meloni administration’s rearmament policies and cuts to the education budget. Student representative Laura Teresi, 18, noted that the protests aim to disrupt school operations to draw attention to their grievances.

Economic frustration is not limited to students. Truck drivers, farmers, and fishermen have also joined the movement, protesting against high fuel prices. In response, the government recently approved a 175 million euro [$195 million] aid package for these sectors. Furthermore, the draft 2027 budget includes a proposed annual bonus of 2,500 euros for workers under 30, a measure Prime Minister Meloni stated is intended to support youth who feel neglected by the state. However, she explicitly stated that these benefits would not extend to those involved in vandalism.

Experts have weighed in on the underlying causes of the unrest. Professor Rosario Forlenza suggested that the current economic and social crisis has left young people feeling politically unrepresented and pessimistic about their future. Similarly, psychiatrist Matteo Lancini argued that the educational system is failing to address the needs of the youth, urging for structural changes that prioritize students over pension system concerns. He criticized the tendency to blame social media for the unrest, suggesting it is a way for leadership to avoid addressing the root causes of youth dissatisfaction.