The inability to address these problems leaves governments unable to\nensure that everyday infrastructure and services \u2014 from roads and\neducation to healthcare \u2014 function properly.<\/p>\n
Jakarta (ANTARA) \u2014 What began as unrest in France has now spread\nacross Europe. Protests that were once limited to secondary school\npupils demonstrating over conditions at their schools have turned into\ncriticism of how democracy works.<\/p>\n
That is what is happening in Europe today, particularly in France,\nSpain, Italy, Portugal, Albania and Serbia.<\/p>\n
It began with complaints from French secondary school pupils about\ndeteriorating school infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms, excessive\ntimetables, and shortages of teachers and school funding.<\/p>\n
The pupils are also demanding that the government overhaul the\nadmissions system for public universities, which they consider\nunfair.<\/p>\n
Some argue that heavy-handed French police action against\ndemonstrators prompted solidarity from many groups, including trade\nunions, farmers and political interest groups. The issues have since\nwidened to include sensitive concerns such as rising prices and economic\nhardship.<\/p>\n
The demonstrations grew into a mass movement, reaching a peak on\nSaturday, 17 October 2026, when nearly one million people protested\nacross France. The unrest was also marked by looting.<\/p>\n
French President Emmanuel Macron then urged the public to remain\ncalm. At the same time, his government accused the far left and criminal\ngroups of inciting looting in Paris, Bordeaux, Rennes, Nantes, Lyon,\nLille and Marseille.<\/p>\n
The wave of protests has further worsened France\u2019s fiscal and social\ncrises. France is the European Union\u2019s second-largest economy after\nGermany.<\/p>\n
Macron\u2019s government is on the verge of approving austerity measures,\nwhich are seen as placing an even greater burden on people already hit\nby rising prices, particularly fuel costs.<\/p>\n
People are also angry about poor public services and increasingly\nstrained household budgets. At the same time, they believe France\u2019s\npolitical institutions offer little hope of change.<\/p>\n
People in several other European countries, including Spain, are\nexperiencing a situation similar to that in France.<\/p>\n
Protests in Spain were triggered by the eviction of an 87-year-old\npensioner from the home in Madrid where she had lived for 70 years.<\/p>\n
She was evicted because she could not afford the rent after the\nlandlord raised it by 230 per cent. She died two weeks after being\nforced out of her home.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/europe-is-in-a-bad-way-1792576416", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }