October 9, 2026

Student protests are no longer confined to France. While French schools continue their uprising against deteriorating educational conditions and insufficient funding, Belgium is witnessing an escalating wave of demonstrations, particularly in the city of Liège, against rising university tuition fees and cuts to education spending.

What is happening in Belgium?

▪️ The city of Liège has witnessed clashes between groups of protesters and police, with garbage containers and electric bicycles set on fire, shop windows smashed, and several roads blocked.

▪️ Police deployed tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds, while Reuters reported 107 arrests in recent days.

▪️ One of the main sources of anger is the increase in annual university registration fees from €835 to €1,194, a rise of approximately 43%, alongside austerity measures affecting educational institutions and increasing pressure on teachers.

And France? The situation is even bigger.

On October 8, approximately 71,500 demonstrators took to the streets across France, including 24,500 in Paris, demanding improvements in school conditions and action to address teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, and deteriorating school buildings.

The movement has spread to more than 1,200 schools in recent weeks, while the number of arrests linked to the protests has exceeded 6,600, according to recent reports.

What connects the two countries?

Interestingly, Reuters reported that Belgian students had been inspired by the ongoing demonstrations in France, despite differences in their immediate demands.

In Belgium, anger is focused on tuition fees, educational reforms, and budget cuts. In France, the protests center on the deterioration of public education and insufficient resources, alongside growing criticism of how police are handling student demonstrations.

But the common factor is clear: Younger generations increasingly believe their educational futures are under threat, while European governments struggle to balance reducing budget deficits with funding essential public services.

This is no longer simply about university tuition fees or overcrowded classrooms. It reflects a growing crisis of trust between young people and political institutions across several European countries.

The question now is: Will these movements remain separate national protests, or will they develop into a broader wave of student pressure against European governments?