Europe's protests: Wages fail to keep pace with living costs

Thousands of protesters across Europe demonstrated over the weekend against rising living costs, unaffordable housing, low wages, and strained public services, with some protests turning violent and causing significant property damage. In France, between 550,000 and 800,000 people marched, with violence in cities like Limoges and Lyon leading to fires and looting, prompting officials to condemn the destruction. Similar clashes occurred in Belgium, while Portugal and Italy saw protests over wages, pensions, and housing costs. Eurostat data shows EU food prices rose 34% between August 2021 and August 2026, with minimum-wage purchasing power for food falling in several countries, highlighting the broader challenge of wages keeping pace with essential costs.