What do the ongoing youth protests tell us?
Thousands of people, most of them youths, took to the streets again in several European countries at the weekend to demand better education, more participation and affordable living standards. French trade unions have announced strikes and protests for today, Thursday, in which secondary school and university students also intend to participate. Commentators look at why the wave of protests shows no sign of abating.
Europe's values losing credibility
Yeni Akit sees deep-rooted causes for the youth demonstrations:
“Europe's problem today is not just the protests and clashes on the streets or economic difficulties. The real problem is that the ideals of prosperity, democracy, social justice and security – which Europe has been defending for years – are beginning to lose credibility in the eyes of its own societies. ... The fires on the streets can be put out, demonstrations dispersed and security measures tightened. But as long as society's hopes for the future, its expectations of economic prosperity and its trust in those in power have not been restored, there is no end in sight to this crisis.”
A new class struggle
The protest is diversifying in several ways, observes Mediapart:
“These young people have decided to stop asking for permission. ... They have realised that they must take independent action, because maintaining the status quo offers them nothing. … This is also why the movement has been able to spread across such a wide range of contexts: in rich and poorer countries, in liberal democracies and illiberal regimes, in growing and stagnating economies. For the same destruction is at work everywhere: the demolition of solidarity, public services, the environment and, ultimately, the future. ... A generational struggle has transformed into a struggle against the rule of capital. It has become a class struggle.”
Harsher times
The riots don't make the young people's anger any less legitimate, argues taz:
“In many cases, the burning rubbish bins may even have been a consequence of this debate on violence – a defiant attempt to show that they will not be told how to demonstrate. ... It's good that we are now seeing at least the beginnings of an emancipatory counter-movement against the feeling of hopelessness. ... These are harsher times and it's clear that only a few sections of the media and political establishment will take a positive view of the movement. A look at the rest of the world shows that 'Gen Z rules' can nevertheless still achieve something. To do so, however, the movement must build up pressure – and not allow itself to be divided.”
Against freedom in the name of freedom
The protests pose a risk to the freedom of the majority, warns Le Figaro:
“From day one, this student movement has confused the right to demonstrate with a desire for destruction. … For many schoolchildren, university students and teachers, the freedom to learn and teach is already no more than a distant memory. Extremely small minority groups are obstructing, intimidating and threatening a large majority of young people who want to use these crucial weeks to learn, think for themselves and live their lives independently. Freedom of expression is also under attack from all sides. ... No freedom for the enemies of Insoumis [the LFI party]': that is the principle Jean-Luc Mélenchon aims to enforce even before the presidential election takes place. All democrats must stand up against this.”
Historical point of reference
This could be the start of a larger movement much like that of May 1968, says France Inter:
“Although none of these movements are identical, they undoubtedly have one thing in common. They are driven by generational anger. Young people accuse the older generations of having exploited the system while leaving them with a bleak future – and even a broken society. This brings to mind the Fridays for Future in 2019 led by Greta Thunberg, or the Indignados movement against [Spain's] austerity measures in 2011. But the major historical point of reference is May 1968. ... What is happening now is perhaps reminiscent of that famous spring, even though it was a different era and took place almost 60 years ago.”
Golden opportunity for Portugal’s left
Following the police clearance of protest camps in Porto and Lisbon, Expresso comments:
“Police violence has shaken up the entire left, which had been lost, demotivated and demoralised, but has now finally found a cause with which many people can identify. For years, it wasted its time on cultural and identity struggles which, while mobilising minorities, alienated a key section of the wider population. The issue of housing is precisely the opposite. It is an economic, social and cross-generational issue that affects all classes and voter groups alike. … Police violence and the government's arrogance have driven people onto the streets in droves.”