Europe is facing an ever deeper social crisis. The continent that for decades was a symbol of economic stability, social security and a decent standard of living is today facing growing discontent among its citizens.

  The greatest danger isn't just poverty, but the gradual weakening of the middle class – the pillar on which Europe's economic and social stability was built. More and more families who until yesterday lived decently are now forced to calculate whether they'll have enough money for food, electricity, heating, rent and loan repayments. The prices of basic goods, energy and housing are putting enormous pressure on household budgets. Even where wages are rising, many people feel their purchasing power isn't keeping up with rising costs. A job is no longer a guarantee of financial security. A growing share of people work and still struggle to cover their basic needs. The discontent is spilling onto the streets. Protests in different European countries, although they have different immediate causes, raise a common question: how long can citizens withstand the economic pressure? Farmers, workers, pensioners, students and other social groups are demanding better living conditions, higher incomes and greater economic security. What is especially worrying is that the crisis isn't only hitting the traditionally poor. It is squeezing ever harder on people who once belonged to the stable middle class. Europe may not yet be on the verge of revolution in the literal sense, but the warning signs of serious social upheaval must not be underestimated. When costs rise, when housing becomes unattainable and the sense of economic security disappears, discontent stops being just a financial issue and grows into a social problem. The question is no longer just how much more expensive food, fuel and electricity will get. The question is how long European citizens will be able to pay for a standard of living they can less and less afford. Europe must find an answer to this crisis. Because history shows that prolonged economic insecurity and the loss of trust in institutions can create the conditions for profound social change. When the middle class becomes poorer, poverty stops being a minority's problem and becomes a problem for the whole of society.