Gen Z Uprisings: Why Europe’s Youth Are Taking to the Streets
From Paris to Rome, Gen Z is leading a wave of protests across Europe. Discover why students are demanding change over education, housing, and costs.
POLICY WIRE — Brussels, Belgium — A surging wave of youth-led demonstrations is sweeping across Europe, as members of Generation Z—those born between 1997 and 2012—demand systemic change. These protests, which have gained momentum globally from Bangladesh in 2024 to Nepal in 2025 and India this year, are now reshaping the political landscape of the continent.
Young people aged 13 to 29 are at the forefront of these uprisings, fueled by deep-seated frustrations over the rising cost of living, government corruption, and inadequate educational funding. In cities ranging from the suburbs of Paris to the squares of Belgrade, thousands of demonstrators have mobilized to challenge the status quo.
The movement has adopted a defiant rallying cry from the 2012 film The Hunger Games, with protesters frequently chanting, “If we burn, you burn with us!” This slogan has become a global symbol for the anger and desire for reform felt by a generation wary of bearing the financial burdens of their elders.
In Brussels, 19-year-old student Maya Gourdel exemplifies this sentiment, spending her time crafting slogans against national leadership. The influence of these movements is crossing borders, with students in Belgium and Italy drawing inspiration from French activists. In southern Europe, protesters have been heard chanting, Facciamo come in Francia, or Let’s do as they do in France.
Specific grievances vary by region but remain rooted in economic and social instability. In Italy, demonstrators in Rome, Milan, and Turin have taken to the streets with the demand: Money for schools, not for war. Meanwhile, in Belgium, the unrest is largely driven by planned increases in costs and significant cuts to French-speaking education.
Across Spain, France, and Portugal, young people continue to voice their dissatisfaction with the state of their schools and the broader economic crisis. As these protests persist, they present a formidable challenge to governments struggling to address the demands of a generation that feels its voice has long been ignored.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
