University students pitched tents outside the Greek parliament in Syntagma Square on Wednesday, staging an overnight pro...

University students pitched tents outside the Greek parliament in Syntagma Square on Wednesday, staging an overnight protest against soaring housing costs and a chronic shortage of student accommodation, pushing through heavy rainfall to make their point. Members of dozens of student associations took part in the demonstration, demanding government action on rents that have climbed to €600 ($700) a month for a basic studio apartment in Athens. Students marched to the Finance Ministry at 6 p.m. to submit their demands before returning for an overnight camp-out and a concert in the square. Nina Nifakou, president of the student association at the University of West Attica, told Orange Press Agency the situation had reached a breaking point. She said existing student dormitories cover less than 4% of accommodation needs, and the University of West Attica, one of Greece's largest, has no dormitory at all. Nifakou said hundreds of students could not afford to enroll in their first year, while others were dropping out mid-degree. "For a student today, studying has become a matter of survival," she said. Beyond rent, students cited the rising cost of groceries, fuel, electricity and study materials as compounding the pressure. Associations are calling for rent caps, increased housing subsidies, free meals, and free public transport for students. Protesters said they would keep the camp-out going despite the weather and called on more students to join. The Athens demonstration is part of a wider wave of student mobilizations across Europe, with similar protests recently seen in France, Belgium and Italy over education funding and the cost of living. #Athens #Greece #StudentProtest