Rising fuel prices sparks wave of protests in European Union countries

Published at: 25/09/2026 12:52 PM

A series of demonstrations against the severe increase in fuel prices have occurred in several countries of the European Union, causing severe disturbances in mobility and commercial activity, as reported by the Politico newspaper and reported by the news agency TASS.

In Portugal, hundreds of trucks staged a slow march towards the town of Coimbra along three main highways, a measure of force called for by construction, underground works and material transport sectors to denounce that operating expenses on diesel represent more than half of their production costs.

Portuguese trade unions detailed the direct impact of the crisis on their cost structures: “since the end of February, the price of diesel in Portugal has risen approximately from 1.59 to 2.22 euros per liter”. Faced with this scenario, carriers warned that the unsustainability of current tariffs threatens the paralysis of the sector if immediate compensation mechanisms are not established in the face of the uninterrupted rise in oil derivatives.

Simultaneously, in France, workers in the fishing sector intensified street actions by strategically blocking the port facilities of Nice, Sete and Le Grau du Roi, as well as the Frontignan oil terminal, located in the south of the country.

The demonstrators demanded a direct reduction in the cost of fuel and a substantial increase in state subsidies, a situation that forced the French authorities to urgently extend their social and financial assistance programs for the most vulnerable economic sectors.

This escalation of tensions responds to the instability in the European energy market during 2026, caused by interruptions in supply following the start of the war between the United States and Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

According to European Commission awards and stock market data, the reduction in crude oil shipments from the Middle East, combined with EU policies to restrict Russian energy imports, has triggered volatility and brought the prices of diesel and jet fuel to records higher than the levels at the beginning of the year.

Mazo News Team