The Guardian view on Europe’s protests: the social contract has broken – and young people want solutions | Editorial
An electoral supercycle over the next year may redefine the continent’s future. But what’s happening on the streets is shaping it, too France sneezed, and Europe has again caught the cold. The wave of unrest which began with teenagers at a high school soon drew in hundreds of thousands of people nationwide and then spread across the continent . Protests have filled the streets in Lisbon and…
A series of protests across Europe has brought to light a breakdown of the social contract, with young people demanding solutions. The unrest began with teenagers at a French high school and has since spread to various cities and countries. French authorities have deployed 70,000 officers in response, blaming hard-left militants and young perpetrators for the destruction and looting.
However, the situation remains unresolved as fuel prices are expected to rise further. The protests have various causes, with France focused on outdated schools, Greece echoing complaints about educational underfunding, Spain and Portugal grappling with housing issues, and Germany concerned about compulsory military service. The common thread among protesters is the sense of being worse off than their parents, anger at inadequate education, job precarity, and struggling to afford their own homes.
Additionally, concerns about pensions and the climate crisis add to their frustrations. Governments are accused of failing to offer solutions due to debt concerns and bond market fears. This unrest is echoed in other parts of the world, with some protesters even borrowing symbols from other countries. Far-right parties are attempting to exploit the unrest by blaming immigrants and open borders, while the upcoming elections in four major European states could lead to a shift towards the far-right.
Despite these threats, the protesters' demands for action are not being met, and the future of Europe may be determined by both the streets and elections.
Written by urgent.news from The Guardian US's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
