More than France: Europe faces a new wave of protests this autumn and winter
Between October 17 and around that date, demonstrations erupted across France, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, and Albania, with some cities witnessing violent clashes. Official French figures estimate the number of protesters at approximately 550,000, while the Ministry of the Interior reported over 2,000 arrests nationwide. In September, inflation in the eurozone rose to 3.8%, with energy prices up nearly 18.8% year-on-year; food and non-alcoholic beverages across the EU have seen cumulative price increases of about 34% since August 2021. These figures reflect a tangible basis for public anxiety over declining purchasing power.
Whether these protests will escalate further hinges on three key variables:
1. Whether fiscal space continues to contract
France’s public debt has reached 119% of GDP, and the government plans further spending cuts. The tension between fiscal tightening and popular demands is unlikely to be resolved in the short term.
2. Whether electoral cycles amplify political divisions
With the French presidential election approaching in 2027, and major elections looming in Italy and Spain, street protests may be absorbed and magnified by party competition.
3. Whether energy and external shocks recur
Ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, instability in the Middle East, and uncertainty surrounding U.S. policy toward Europe could continue to affect European livelihoods through channels of energy, defense spending, and trade.
What warrants deeper attention is not merely whether “the streets are becoming more turbulent,” but the political consequences.
The most likely outcome of such protests is not immediate disruptions to public order, but a transformation of Europe’s political landscape. As traditional mainstream parties face declining governance capacity, radical left, far-right, and populist movements are gaining ground by leveraging economic grievances—potentially leading to greater policy fragmentation in countries such as France, Germany, and Italy. If governments must simultaneously appease bond markets and respond to street pressure, their policy room will be further constrained.
Europe’s protest wave remains vulnerable to escalation during the autumn-winter period and amid electoral cycles. Whether it evolves into a prolonged political crisis depends on how fiscal constraints, energy prices, and partisan competition interact.
Protests erupt across multiple European nations
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1879809882458123/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.