Why are Europe’s governments struggling to respond to growing protests?
Protests intensify as governments prioritise security measures over addressing underlying social and economic concerns.
They subside on certain days, only to flare up a few days later. Largely led by young people, demonstrations have swept across at least eight European countries, driven by grievances ranging from school conditions and the cost of diesel to a deeper sense of insecurity about the future – and the feeling that opportunities are increasingly out of reach.
“They are plural and uncoordinated, with no single leader or programme,” said Alberto Alemanno, professor of European Union law and policy at HEC Paris Business School. “So it’s less a rejection of one policy and more a signal that people no longer trust the system to deliver. That’s why they are so critical.”
For governments, addressing discontent is proving difficult. Experts say there is no easy fix, and that many have so far struggled to offer answers beyond a show of force. The protests are likely to continue, they warn.
In a post on Telegram, protest organisers lamented “a violent police operation” that they said left several people injured.