MOSCOW, October 20. /TASS/. Protests across the European Union are driven by a deep socio-economic crisis, caused in part by an increasing tax burden on Europeans due to years of financial support for the Kiev regime, Natalia Nikonorova, Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, told TASS.

"Behind the current events in a number of European countries lies a deep socio-economic crisis. It has been caused by a range of reasons: a rising tax burden in recent years due to well-known circumstances – namely the multi-year support for the Kiev regime – a decline in living standards, energy and migration crises, a lack of trust in government institutions, and the focus of Western authorities on 'political maneuvering' aimed at weakening our country rather than the well-being of their own citizens," the senator, who previously served as the DPR Foreign Minister, said.

Under such conditions, "a social explosion was only a matter of time," she added.

Nikonorova recalled that at the start of the special military operation, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned of impending food, migration, and energy crises in Europe as a consequence of "mindless anti-Russian sanctions."

"And that is exactly what happened. Well, the time is coming when the flourishing, or rather blazing, European garden will have to reap the fruits of its decisions," the lawmaker concluded.

On October 17, mass rallies against rising fuel prices and declining purchasing power took place in Paris and across France. Organizers estimated turnout at 800,000 people, while the Interior Ministry reported 550,000 participants. In several cities, the actions escalated into unrest and clashes with police. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez reported 1,800 detentions nationwide and stated that authorities would prosecute all participants in rioting and looting.

On October 16, a wave of protests against the policies of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government swept Italy, with incidents reported in Rome, Turin, and Bologna. The actions continued over the weekend in Milan, where 200 people were detained following unrest. More than 100 law enforcement officers were injured over two days.