Europe's Gen Z protesters just want to be heard
MAYA Gourdel, a 19-year-old student in Brussels, sits at a desk writing slogans against those running her country: “If we burn, you burn with us!”
In Europe, young protesters aged 16 to 30, known as Gen Z, are demanding to be heard. Their anger stems from rising prices, the cost of living, and the burden of an aging population. In Serbia, student-led protests finally resulted in the ousting of long-time leader Aleksandar Vucic. Milan, Italy, and Paris, France, have also seen protests, with protesters expressing frustration over perceived corruption, lack of job opportunities, and rising housing costs.
The European Union survey found that 40% of young people are concerned about the cost of living. Young adults aged 18 to 24 were the most at risk of poverty or social exclusion, at 26.3%. Despite owning 60% of the nation's wealth, younger people in France are wary of bearing the financial burden of an older generation. Protests are also happening in Albania, where student-led demonstrations against Prime Minister Edi Rama's government have erupted due to perceived corruption, lack of jobs, and poor education standards.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
