Living costs, housing, job uncertainty fuel European youth anger
PARIS — Countries across Europe have been swept by a wave of protests by young people angry at the spiralling cost of living who have little trust in traditional institutions.
A wave of youth protests has swept across Europe, fueled by soaring living costs, job insecurity, and distrust in traditional institutions. France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, and Germany have seen hundreds of thousands take to the streets, united by shared issues like high housing prices, low wages, and the climate crisis. School and university students have spearheaded these demonstrations, demanding better facilities and an end to opaque university admissions systems.
The movement began in mid-September when French high school students protested for improved conditions and reform of the university admissions process. Initially peaceful, the protests soon turned violent, with incidents of looting, arson, and clashes with authorities. Greece saw over 10,000 protesters rally across several cities, some bearing bilingual placards in Greek and French.
Experts attribute the protests to a sense of being sacrificed due to the debt and environmental problems left by previous generations, as well as the feeling of being ignored and the growing inequality between different socioeconomic groups.
Written by urgent.news from Bangkok Post Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
- Living costs, housing, job uncertainty fuel European youth anger freemalaysiatoday.com
