Anti-elitism in Modern Protests in the EU

The purpose of the article is to determine the significance of such a factor as anti-elitism in protest movements in Europe in the period 2020–2024. The problem of the ideological demarcation between the ordinary population and the upper classes of society is somehow manifested in most of the strikes recorded in European countries during the specified time period. The deepening gap between the social masses and the political elites, and disillusionment with political institutions are shaping up into anti-elitist sentiments. This factor indicates the presence of a source of constant dissatisfaction among citizens with political actions and decisions in completely different spheres of public life: from farm strikes to anti-war protests. Therefore, meeting the demands of the protesters on certain issues does not lead to the elimination of protest potential, because the underlying problem that encourages citizens to take to the streets is of a different nature. This work analyzes the causes, social base and outcome of strikes in European countries over the past 2 years. The author concludes that anti-elitism is indeed an essential characteristic of regular protests, which have become the new norm for European society. But in this case, the question arises about the effectiveness of protest movements in the long term and the possible disappointment of citizens in this form of protecting their interests.

social and social movements, anti-elitism, protests, government, civil society, Europe