France deploys 70,000 police ahead of housing and food protests
France is set for big protests this Saturday, with thousands expected to hit the streets over rising prices on essentials like housing and food.
To keep things in check, the government has rolled out 70,000 police and gendarmes, hoping to avoid a repeat of the violence that erupted earlier this month.
But it's not just a French thing; people across Europe are feeling the pinch.
Across Europe, rent outpaces wages
From Spain to Germany, young people and families are protesting because rent keeps climbing while wages stay flat.
In Lisbon, two people earning local salaries and sharing a three-bedroom city-centre apartment are left with just €253 after paying rent each month.
Data show that in Greece, families spend over one-third of their income just on housing.
In Milan, the amount is €697, and frustration is building everywhere, not just in France.