40% of Young Europeans Cite Cost of Living as Top Concern in New Protests

For nearly half of young people in Europe, the price of daily survival has become the main driver of political unrest. A 2025 European Union survey found that 40% of individuals aged 16 to 30 identify rising prices and the cost of living as a primary concern. This financial pressure has translated into street actions from Paris to Belgrade, where thousands have gathered to demand changes in housing, education, and economic opportunity.

The movement gained tangible political power this weekend in Serbia. After nearly two years of demonstrations against corruption and perceived authoritarianism, student-led protests culminated in the ousting of long-time leader Aleksandar Vucic. Stasa Piletic, a student protester, described the morning after the change as a moment of relief and freedom. She said she felt a sense of victory, marking a shift from protesting to taking responsibility.

The anger is not limited to one country. In Milan, Chiara, a 21-year-old student, described the movement as an explosion of rage that made collective action possible. She argued that the current ruling class has stolen the ability of her generation to imagine a future. She pointed to schools with crumbling buildings and a lack of teachers, paired with the prospect of low-paid jobs and overpriced, tiny housing far from major cities.

In France, the protests have sometimes turned violent, with thousands of shops damaged or looted in recent weeks. Bilal Narjissi, a 17-year-old student in a suburb north of Paris, cited deplorable conditions at his school, including staff shortages and rats. Students were evacuated last year when a roof collapsed in the courtyard, though no one was injured. Narjissi said the protests show that young people across Europe are united in feeling treated like children.

Data underscores the economic weight of older demographics. In France, people over 60 make up a quarter of the population but own 60% of the country's wealth, according to the OFCE think tank. A French government report from October noted that pension spending rose by 2.5 percentage points of GDP between 2000 and 2023, while education spending fell by 0.5 percentage points. Now, 32% of the education ministry's budget goes toward pensions.

The risk of poverty also skews heavily toward the young. Among the 92.7 million people in the EU facing the risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2025, the highest risk was recorded for adults aged 18 to 24 at 26.3%. This compares to 18.8% for those aged 65 and over. In Albania, 19-year-old architecture student Xyke Kurti said her prime minister spent 130 days ignoring the students' demands. She noted that when asked about their future, most students in Albania answer that they see it outside the country.

Protests are continuing in other regions. A demonstration is planned in Germany this weekend to address the cost of living, inequality, and the state of schools. In Serbia, Luka Stojakovic, a protester, addressed the lack of governing experience among the new student-led group. He stated that they have seen where people with political experience have brought the country.