Thousands of workers across Greece staged a 24-hour general strike on Wednesday to protest the soaring cost of living, housing crisis, and stagnant wages. The demonstrations coincided with the government’s submission of its 2025 budget to Parliament, highlighting the frustrations of many over perceived inaction on economic hardships.
Public and private sector workers united in the strike, causing widespread disruptions. Public transport was halted, and ferries connecting the islands to the mainland were stranded in ports. Around 12,000 protesters marched through Athens, while another 5,000 demonstrated in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city.
Protesters expressed discontent with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ centre-right government, accusing it of prioritising military spending and NATO commitments over addressing inflation and housing costs.
“We demand collective labour agreements, better working conditions, and solutions to the housing crisis, which particularly affects young people,” one protester stated.
Medical staff, teachers, and other public employees joined the strike, demanding higher wages and better living standards. Many pointed to the lingering effects of Greece’s financial crisis, which began in 2010 and led to severe austerity measures, including cuts to wages and pensions.
“Our incomes remain frozen in the bailout era,” said Yannis Panagopoulos, head of the General Confederation of Workers of Greece. “We have no other way to cope with the high cost of living than with a wage increase.”
Despite Greece’s recent economic recovery and regaining of investment-grade status, it still has the highest debt-to-GDP ratio in the European Union. For many, the return to growth has not yet translated into improved living standards, fueling resentment among workers demanding change.