What to make of ongoing youth protests?
At the weekend, thousands of people – mostly young – took to the streets again in several European countries to demonstrate for better education, more participation and affordable living standards. After peaceful demonstrations, the protests turned violent in a number of German and French cities. Commentators analyse the anger and its causes.
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.”