The French protests drew at least 550,000 people on Oct 17, with the largely peaceful demonstrations swiftly eclipsed by episodes of looting, arson and clashes with the police. (EPA Images pic)PARIS: Countries across Europe have been swept by a wave of protests by young people angry at the spiralling cost of living who have little trust in traditional institutions.

While local grievances have fuelled the fire, the movements that brought hundreds of thousands to the streets of France, Belgium, Spain, Italy and Germany at the weekend are all linked by shared continent-wide issues such as sky-high housing costs, poor pay and the climate crisis.

School and university students have found themselves at the front line of these protests.