The list of reasons for the mass protests does not end there. For example, local police officers in Italy called a nationwide strike after several officers were hospitalized following attacks while on duty.
Last week, Portugal saw its second nationwide strike in the past six months against a new package of labor reforms announced by the center-right government.
The Netherlands, by contrast, recorded only about seven strikes in the first three months of 2026, making it the country with the lowest rate in this group.
Traditionally, workers in Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria go on strike less frequently than in most other EU countries, according to Euronews.
Nevertheless, preliminary data from the European Trade Union Institute show that 2025 could be a record year for the EU in terms of the number of strikes since 1991.
From 2020 to 2024, strikes were most frequent in Finland, Belgium, and France.
The main reason for the largest protests was demands for higher wages: wage levels are not keeping pace with the rising cost of living amid inflation.
