I've been following the protests happening across Europe (Albania, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal), and I think there's a much bigger conversation to be had about why so many young people are taking to the streets.

How are young people supposed to feel hopeful about their future when housing has become unaffordable, the cost of living keeps rising, and even getting a decent education doesn't necessarily guarantee them financial security? For many, the prospect of owning a home feels like a distant fantasy, rent eats up a huge chunk of their income, and simply trying to build an independent life has become increasingly difficult.

At what point are young people supposed to stop being patient and start demanding change? We constantly tell the younger generation to work hard, get an education, and make responsible choices, but what happens when they do everything they're told and still find themselves struggling to afford the basics?

I think it's important to look beyond the disruption that protests might cause and actually listen to what these students are saying. Discomfort is temporary, but the economic pressures they're protesting against can shape their entire lives.

What do you think? Are these protests a sign of a generation finally refusing to accept the status quo, or is there a wider failure across Europe to address the concerns of young people before they reach this point?

The ones I feel most sorry for are the innocent people just trying to mind and indeed run their own business who have now had everything destroyed. Once again people are directing their anger at the wrong targets...

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Edited October 19Oct 19 by Mark

12 hours ago, Dobbo said:

The ones I feel most sorry for are the innocent people just trying to mind and indeed run their own business who have now had everything destroyed. Once again people are directing their anger at the wrong targets...

If they didn’t direct their anger it wouldn’t make the news as much though.

middle class being affected is where we draw the line!!1

Although we’re not part of the EU, I’d still like to point out that Aleksandar Vučić and his party have lost the parliamentary elections here in Serbia, ending their 14-year rule. The student-led list won, with voter turnout reaching 70% of all eligible voters (without the votes from diaspora).

The student-led blockades and protests have been ongoing since 1 November 2024, drawing massive crowds and widespread public support.

congratulations Serbia, that's a big step forward. Maybe EU membership some day.

also reading into the Student List makes me very optimistic about what they're proposing, hope it works out for them.

40 minutes ago, Iz様 🌟 said:

congratulations Serbia, that's a big step forward. Maybe EU membership some day.

also reading into the Student List makes me very optimistic about what they're proposing, hope it works out for them.

Even if we were offered the opportunity to join the EU, I believe that most citizens would oppose membership, and I personally share that view. 🙈

This might sound a little contradictory, because we have been fighting for freedom and for all those European values that, I believe, any reasonable person would support. However, on a personal level, I don’t consider myself a globalist.

In any case, it will be interesting to see who the candidates for parliament and prime minister will be, and how things unfold from here. The student list was highly decentralised, and people weren’t really voting for a single prominent figure in the traditional sense, which makes it particularly interesting to see how leadership and political representation will take shape going forward. So far, all decisions regarding the student list have been made exclusively through plenary assemblies at the universities.