Albania

French students blocked dozens of high schools and universities on Tuesday, 3 Nov, to pressure the government over education reforms. Authorities counted 48 of the country's 3,700 high schools blocked, including in Paris, Rennes, Toulouse and Lyon, while the student union USL put the figure at 500 establishments. Officials said 51 of 184 higher education institutions were disrupted. Trade unions have called a nationwide strike for Thursday. The protests follow a wider movement against rising prices and weak public services that has drawn hundreds of thousands onto the streets over three weekends.

Four opposition Democratic Party MPs were expelled after lighting smoke flares and blocking the podium during a vote on central bank legislation in Tirana on 29 Oct. The disruption followed weeks of student-led protests demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation, which have seen more than 350 injuries and attacks on government buildings. Rama responded on 25 Oct by imposing a 500,000 lek fine for participation in violent protests, and another demonstration is scheduled for 31 Oct.