The generation rebelling against the end of European welfare: X-ray of the protests shaking the continent

The housing crisis in Spain has become a lethal public health emergency, with activists and medical experts linking the loss of shelter directly to physical deterioration, psychological collapse, and death. This connection was starkly illustrated by the case of Maricarmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman who died in a hospital days after being evicted from her home in Madrid. Protesters chanted that she had been murdered, blaming real estate funds for a legal process that lasted years and severely damaged her health. Her death served as a catalyst for widespread demonstrations, where demonstrators held up yellow shirts, the color associated with suicide prevention, to highlight the link between housing insecurity and self-harm. Abascal’s case is part of a broader pattern of fatalities linked to housing displacement. On September 7, Olga Matute, a resident of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, took her own life nearly five months after being expelled from her home. Historical records show similar incidents across Spain. In 2010, a neighbor in the same area committed suicide following an eviction. In 2013, a couple ended their lives before losing their home in Mallorca. Additional cases were recorded in 2018, 2021, and 2022, including one in Cornellà, another in Barcelona, and two sisters in Cantabria. These individual tragedies reflect statistical trends indicating a severe impact on well-being. According to a study titled "Habitar la incertidumbre," conducted by Oxfam Intermón, the incidence of mental health problems doubles among individuals who spend more than 50 percent of their income on housing compared to those spending less than 30 percent. Health professionals have classified the situation as a crisis of public health. The Spanish Society of Epidemiology noted that the loss of housing stability generates fear, anguish, helplessness, and feelings of personal failure. While the impact on mental health is evident, the society emphasized that physical health effects are equally critical. When housing costs consume a large portion of income, basic needs such as food and utilities are compromised, increasing residential insecurity. Health Minister Monica Garcia stated that people fall ill due to living conditions, citing the dramatic cases of Abascal and Matute. She added that 40 percent of families describe access to housing in pathological terms, including anxiety, insomnia, depression, and uncertainty. Guillermo Fouce, a psychology doctor and president of the Foundation Psychologists Without Borders, agreed that the housing conflict affects all three axes of health: physical, psychological, and social. He described how residents cut essential expenses to pay rent or avoid eviction, often eliminating medication, basic meals, heating, gas, or electricity. Fouce explained that these cuts have direct bodily effects, such as the inability to maintain hygiene without hot water or purchase balanced nutrition. Social isolation also increases, as individuals feel shame and stop inviting others into their homes or going outside. These local struggles are part of a wider European wave of youth protests spanning countries including France, Italy, Greece, Belgium, Ireland, Portugal, and Serbia. Between September 15 and October 23, at least 177 protests occurred across 12 European nations. Data from the university project PolDem indicates this number matches the average monthly protests during the peak years of the Eurozone crisis between 2010 and 2012. France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Belgium account for 80 percent of these mobilizations. While the demands vary by country, housing, education, and the cost of living remain constant themes. In Spain, the focus remained heavily on housing. The first major demonstration of the autumn season took place on September 26, following Abascal's eviction. The Government Delegation reported that at least 25,000 people gathered in Madrid, while the Tenants' Union counted 300,000 participants. It was the largest single-city protest of this cycle and inspired movements in Portugal and Italy. In Portugal, thousands marched to the rhythm of "Grândola Vila Morena," the song associated with the 1974 revolution that ended the dictatorship. In Italy and Greece, high living costs triggered the unrest. In France, Belgium, Romania, and Ireland, educational cuts drove the mobilization. Serbia and Albania added anti-corruption and democratic defense to their demands. Sociologists argue that these protests stem from an accumulation of long-standing struggles against social inequality rather than a single triggering event. Eduard Ballesté, a sociology professor at the University of Barcelona, noted a deep mismatch between young people's expectations and the barriers they face in their life trajectories. Albert Julià, also a sociologist at the same institution, observed that this gap explains the generalized feelings of discontent and frustration. Ilaria Pitti, a researcher at the University of Bologna, highlighted that while these manifestations often start locally, they have gained transnational potential. In Italy, which has some of Europe's highest youth unemployment rates, military spending increased by 15.8 percent under the current government, while public investment per university student remains 6,000 euros below the OECD average. Students have led much of the protest activity, joined later by unions, teachers, and other groups. The timing in autumn is linked to the academic calendar, as students return to centers and changes in fees and aid become tangible. Although the movements share timing and grievances, they respond to distinct national conflicts and are not coordinated. Most demonstrations were peaceful, but violence erupted in several locations. Forty-nine protests resulted in arrests, and at least thirty saw police officers injured. In France, the October 17 day brought together 550,000 protesters nationwide, according to the Ministry of the Interior. That day ended with over 2,000 detainees, nearly 1,000 injured agents, and significant destruction, including the burning of the Limoges City Hall. In Milan, Italy, approximately 2,000 young people organized via social networks broke shop windows and looted stores on October 18. Police detained 271 individuals, 80 percent of whom were minors. In Albania, more than ten days of violent mobilizations left the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Education, and other buildings burned down.