Protests spread across Europe as cost-of-living pressures fuel public anger

Protests spread across Europe as cost-of-living pressures fuel public anger French protesters say new government measures do not go far enough, raising the prospect of further unrest ahead of a presidential election next April. PARIS/BRUSSELS: From France to Spain and Italy, protesters have been taking to the streets across Europe as public frustration over the rising cost of living, housing and public services boils over. The protests are putting governments under growing pressure, raising the political stakes ahead of elections in several European countries. In France, protests that began over education reforms have escalated into a nationwide movement challenging President Emmanuel Macron’s government, despite efforts to ease public anger. High-school pupils and university students frustrated with the education system initially spearheaded the demonstrations. But the protests escalated on Oct 17, with rioting erupting in cities across the nation, leading to some of France’s worst street violence in years. While hundreds of thousands protested peacefully, violent fringe groups targeted public buildings, looted luxury boutiques and supermarkets, and attacked police vehicles and officers. In Limoges, the city hall was set ablaze; in Marseille, black-clad protesters broke into city hall and defaced the building with anarchic graffiti, and in Lyon, protesters torched the city's tourism office. The unrest on Oct 17 and 18 could cost around 1.1 billion euros (US$1.22 billion) in damage and economic losses, according to a high-end estimate by French think tank Fondation IFRAP. “What I don’t understand is gratuitous violence just to do damage,” said a business owner who gave his name as Vincent, whose premises were also affected. “They ransacked small business owners, people who are struggling to get by. It could have been their parents. I don’t understand.” BEYOND EDUCATION By Oct 24, the movement had expanded beyond students to include teachers, parents, trade unions, firefighters and healthcare workers. Around 410,000 people joined demonstrations across the country that day, according to the Interior Ministry, calling for action on the high cost of living, budget cuts and underinvestment in public services. “The schools are not in good condition, people are struggling, people don't have enough money to eat, to live correctly and we are here to claim our rights,” said one protester. “Violence is justified here. It's not the end, it's just the means to get what we want,” she added. The French government on Monday (Oct 26) unveiled a series of measures aimed at easing students’ anger, including plans to cap some class sizes at 28, provide billions of euros in loans for building renovations and overhaul the university admissions system. Budget Minister David Amiel told broadcaster TF1 that the measures would cost an estimated 5 billion euros, with the spending to be offset by cuts elsewhere. But student leaders say the proposals do not go far enough. Sophie Venetitay, the secretary general for teachers' union SNES-FSU, called for class sizes to be capped in more classes and more teachers to be hired to improve learning conditions. The unrest has exposed a widening gap between Macron’s administration and the French public, according to Tara Varma, a managing director at think tank German Marshall Fund. “There has been clearly a sense of disconnect between the president and his population, which only seems to be worsening,” she said. A recent survey by Ipsos-BVA found that 85 per cent of respondents believed France was in decline, while 98 per cent described the country as either angry and highly confrontational or dissatisfied. With parliament gridlocked and France facing a widening budget deficit, the protests present another challenge for the government ahead of the presidential election in April next year. Union leaders have called for further protests on Saturday (Oct 31) and a nationwide strike on Nov 5. DISCONTENT SPREADS ACROSS EUROPE In neighbouring Spain, the eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her lifelong Madrid home on Sep 23 sparked nationwide outrage after a real estate firm that owned the apartment drastically hiked the rent. The eviction triggered demonstrations on Sep 26, with hundreds of people camping in Madrid's Puerta del Sol square. Meanwhile in Italy, youth-led protests over the cost of living, education and concerns about the future erupted into violence in several cities in mid-October. "We took to the streets because we, young people, above all, disagree with the way our world is being organised, with what our future will look like,” said one Italian protester. Demonstrations have also taken place in Germany, Portugal, Albania, Greece and Belgium. Geneviève Pons, president and director general of Brussels-based think tank Europe Jacques Delors, said sluggish economic growth was one factor contributing to the discontent. “There is a difficulty to maintain the European social model in the present situation, and it will be very difficult to deal with this phenomenon,” Pons said. ECONOMIC PRESSURES FUEL POLITICAL TENSIONS European governments are grappling with inflation, high energy costs and strained public finances, leaving them with little room to manoeuvre. In France, public debt stood at around 119 per cent of gross domestic product at the end of June, according to official figures. The unrest has also fuelled political divisions over its underlying causes. Some right-wing politicians have blamed the unrest and violence on immigration and liberal policies. “Migration policies, open borders and a complete failure of integration have contributed to a situation that now threatens our security, undermines social cohesion and puts our European cultural heritage at risk,” said Kinga Gal, a member of the European Parliament and co-chair of the Patriots for Europe group. Other politicians, however, argue that the right is using immigration to divert attention from protesters’ economic and social woes. With Spain heading to the polls in November and elections also due in France, Italy and Greece next year, the protests are adding to the pressure on governments already grappling with economic and political challenges. Analysts say the challenge is growing the economy to sustain Europe’s public services. “If we want to correct this discrepancy we have to search for more growth. To have more growth we must, for instance, achieve the internal market which has not been done yet,” said Europe Jacques Delors’ Pons. She pointed to the field of energy, saying that Europe is still very dependent on external energy sources and fossil fuels. But turning such ambitions into reality will take time, something European governments may have little of, as economic frustrations spill onto the streets and political pressure continues to build. [Image text:] celio be.normal* FC-703-ER MKOD elio* OR BOULANGERIE &