Despite the differences that define the ongoing protests in various countries, the protestors are clearly united by a sense of unease regarding the future and a crisis of internal political and social relations
We are living in a time of upheaval. In recent years, historian Adam Tooze has successfully popularised the term “polycrisis”. Originally coined in the 1970s, this concept refers to the simultaneous convergence of multiple crises, creating a situation in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This overlap of different factors makes processes less predictable and every solution highly complex. The fight for a cleaner environment and measures aimed at slowing climate change require funding at a time of economic slowdown, inflation and ever- increasing military budgets. Solving one crisis can often exacerbate another.
Rising real estate and food prices, inflation, a crisis of trust, the serious possibility of escalating military conflicts, the erosion of social cohesion, climate change, mass migrations and supply chain disruptions caused by trade barriers and sanctions – these are all challenges that are being felt regardless of location. Protests have erupted across Europe for different reasons. Some are driven by opposition to the way Israel has conducted its military operations in Palestine, while others are led by discontented farmers, and the students of Serbia are at the forefront. In some countries, it is political leaders that stand in front of police barricades, while in others that’s being done by ordinary people.
Despite their differences, these protests share a common thread: deep anxiety over the future and internal crises within individual states.
Students in Serbia, farmers in Belgium and the citizens of Georgia and Romania may not be protesting for identical reasons, but they all share the reality of an uncertain future, a crisis of trust in institutions and disillusionment with the political class
Germany, as the EU’s most important country, serves as an example of an uncertain future. The economic model of Europe’s largest economy relied on cheap energy from Russia and a kind of diplomatic and military protection provided by the U.S. Both of these are disappearing at a time when China’s global electric vehicle sales are surging, increasing the risk of tariff wars. The growing popularity of parties with strong anti-immigration agendas, as well as the concerns this trend generates, is causing social tension to escalate.
One of the most significant facts about contemporary Europe is something noted by political scientist Adam Przeworski: for the first time in recorded public opinion surveys, the majority of Europeans believe their children will have a worse life than they’ve had.
Students in Serbia, farmers in Belgium and the citizens of Georgia and Romania may not be protesting for identical reasons, but they all live in a time of uncertain futures, media manipulation, geopolitical and economic challenges, and a crisis of trust in institutions and the political elite. Today, more than at any other point in the 21st century so far, predicting the future has become incredibly difficult, making street protests a recurring phenomenon.
