Cost-of-living protests that began in France are spreading to Germany, with tens of thousands of people expected to turn out across the country on Saturday for a youth-led day of action timed to coincide with Halloween.

The German movement, calling itself Gen Z regelt, meaning Gen Z is sorting it, has called rallies in more than 30 cities, including Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne, Munich and Hamburg. More than 150,000 people had registered on the alliance's website saying they planned to attend. The largest gathering is expected in Berlin, where around 10,000 protesters are due to assemble at the Brandenburg Gate on Saturday afternoon.

The protesters are demanding action on the high cost of living, more spending on schools and universities, stronger climate protection and measures on housing, and they oppose any return to mandatory military service.

France braces for a third weekend

France is preparing for another weekend of demonstrations after protests continued across the country for three consecutive weekends. The Yellow Vests movement has called for nationwide protests on Saturday, billed as the third act of demonstrations, following earlier protests on October 17 and 24.

Warning of a very high risk of public disorder, France's Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has said demonstrations will only be authorised outside town centres, with 70,000 police and gendarmes, including elite units, deployed nationwide. More than 40 metro stations in Paris are also expected to close, and authorities have warned of separate calls for gatherings across France from 8 p.m. local time by radical groups.

How the wave began

The French protests began in late September, led by high school students demanding improvements to deteriorating school buildings, action on teacher shortages and a lack of resources, as well as changes to the university admissions system. The movement then widened into a broader protest over living costs and public services.

The October 17 protests were the most serious so far. According to the Interior Ministry, more than 550,000 people took to the streets across France that day, more than 3,000 shops were attacked or looted, and over 2,700 people were arrested. That violence is a large part of why this weekend's security operation is so extensive.

Germany on alert, organisers insist on peace

In Germany, extra police officers have been deployed nationwide, including an additional 1,500 officers in Berlin, and luxury shops lining Berlin's upmarket Kurfurstendamm shopping street have boarded up their windows as a precaution. Organisers have insisted the rallies will be peaceful and say they will clearly distance themselves from any form of violence.

Germany's federal pupils' conference has distanced itself from the demonstrations, citing unclear organisation, and police have warned radical fringe groups could exploit the Halloween atmosphere.

The unrest is part of a wider wave of youth-led protests that has already swept Italy, Spain, Portugal and Albania in recent weeks. Whether Saturday's rallies stay peaceful will show whether Europe's cost-of-living anger is still gathering force.