If it keeps going at this rate, we might, for (I think) the first time in history, be about to witness the first continent-wide youth revolt in Europe - a "European spring" of sorts.
The sheer number of countries where it's **already** happening is pretty overwhelming. I count 8, including 4 with violent clashes:
- France, famously
- Albania (see below) with daily clashes in Tirana and a government building set alight
- Belgium: the French movement spilled over, including riots in Liรจge
- Italy: "No Meloni Day" student protests since 16 October, turning into riots in Milan, Turin and Bologna
- Greece: students camping in Athens' Syntagma Square over housing and education costs, explicitly inspired by France
- Germany: pupils blockading schools in Berlin and Hamburg in solidarity with France
- Spain: an indefinite education strike in Madrid, with students marching alongside teachers and families
- Serbia: the student movement born from the 2024 Novi Sad station collapse is now running its own list in the 25 October election
And, by the way, the fact it's also happening in countries with close to no immigration - like Albania - goes to show how reductive it is to label these movements, like JD Vance and Trump did with France, as the fruit of "the migrants hav[ing] taken over."
As is often the case, it's much more a story of "it's the economy, stupid." As such, Trump with his war on Iran, has ironically done much more to fuel this (pun intended) than any migrant.
BREAKING:
Albania right now, anti-government protests have erupted into violence.