Italian housing emergency protests

The Giovani Democratici launched a national campaign titled ‘Generazione senza casa’ (Homeless Generation) to protest Italy’s housing crisis. Protesters in Rome’s Piazza Bologna set up tents to symbolize the precarious living conditions of students and young workers. National secretary Virginia Libero noted that many young people are forced to spend half their salaries on single rooms or are delaying independence due to a lack of affordable housing. The group is calling for increased public housing funding, restrictions on short-term rentals, and the restoration of previously cut rental funds.

In Rome, activists occupied a public housing apartment in the Esquilino district to protest the planned auction of 30 residential properties managed by Ater, a Lazio Region agency. Protesters demanded that public housing be allocated to those in need rather than sold for revenue, calling for an immediate halt to auctions ordered in August 2026. Critics of the sale argue that divesting public assets fails to address the emergency, noting that over 16,000 families are waiting for public housing assignments.