Soaring fuel prices and mounting living costs are fuelling protests across Europe, deepening public anger and giving fresh momentum to far-right parties ahead of elections next year in France, Italy and Poland.
From farmers blocking roads in southern Italy to demonstrators taking to the streets in France, economic hardship is intensifying discontent with governments already struggling to control inflation, revive growth and rein in public spending.
The US-Iran war, which erupted in February and sent energy prices surging, has further aggravated the crisis. The European Commission estimates that the conflict has cost Europe about €100 billion ($112 billion) through disruptions to trade and energy markets. Gas prices have risen around 140%, while diesel prices have doubled.
The unrest comes as far-right parties, once considered fringe movements, continue to gain ground among voters seeking alternatives to established political forces, from motorists in rural France to young men in Germany's former Communist east.
In France, protests that began over deteriorating school facilities in the northern suburbs of Paris have escalated into some of the country's worst unrest in decades. Shops have been looted, buildings torched and a 19th-century town hall in Limoges set on fire.
"Why am I here? Well, quite simply, I find the current cost of living truly terrifying," said Quentin Leviloux, a 21-year-old protester in Nantes, pointing to the soaring prices of food, fuel and other essentials.
French President Emmanuel Macron, in a weekend address, acknowledged the legitimate grievances of people angered by rising living costs and fuel prices, while condemning violence, vandalism and looting.
