Greek students, teachers and civil servants protest education funding and living costs as hospital doctors join strikes and Athens turnout reaches at least 5,000

Thousands of students, teachers and civil servants demonstrated across Greece on Wednesday over what they described as underfunded education, high living costs and poor school infrastructure. Police estimated that at least 5,000 people attended the main demonstration in Athens, while state hospital doctors joined strikes and work stoppages.

Inspired by recent protests in France and elsewhere in Europe, demonstrators called for free public education. The Olme union cited dilapidated school buildings and a nationwide shortage of 15,000 secondary school teachers. Eurostat data shows Greece spent 3.3 percent of its national output on education in 2023, among the lowest shares in the European Union.