Across southern Sicily, a procession of tractors has entered the town of Gela bearing the island’s historic emblem - the Sicilian flag marked by the Medusa head, three bent legs and ears of wheat. The imagery evokes agricultural abundance, but the convoy is not celebrating a harvest. Instead, the machines are on the road as part of a protest driven by sharply higher fuel costs that farmers say have made ordinary operations unsustainable.
That scene in Gela is one thread in a broader pattern of social unrest spreading across Europe as households and businesses grapple with rising energy bills. Governments now face the twin challenges of tamping down public anger over living costs while also navigating the political consequences - with far-right parties in several countries winning fresh traction by making fuel costs a central campaign issue ahead of elections next year.
Economic strain and the energy shock
European officials estimate the conflict between the United States and Iran has had a substantial economic impact on the continent. The European Commission put the cost at roughly c100 billion, or about $112 billion, citing disruptions to trade and energy markets. Since the geopolitical escalation in February, gas prices have surged by about 140% and diesel prices have doubled, placing immediate pressure on households and transport-dependent businesses.
The consumer reaction is visible in the streets. In France, protests that originated over deteriorating school facilities in a northern suburb of Paris escalated into nationwide unrest, marked by looting, arson and some of the worst violence the country has seen in decades. A 19th-century town hall in Limoges was set alight amid the disorder. In response, President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged the "legitimate demands" of people suffering from higher living and fuel costs, while distinguishing them from those engaging in violence: "We must never confuse them with those who destroyed, vandalised and looted," he said.
From Sicily to Milan: protests across the continent
In Italy, unrest has taken several forms. In Milan, demonstrations over poor public services and higher living costs turned violent, with clashes between police and protesters who hurled stones and looted stores. In Gela and the surrounding Caltanissetta province, farmers have highlighted how fuel price increases have more than doubled their operational costs. Banners reading "We cultivate the land, we harvest debts" reflected growers frustration; Arcangelo Gambino, a farmers' representative in Caltanissetta, said, "We are completely at a standstill." Roadblocks mounted by truckers, farmers and steelworkers have at times interrupted transport in southern Italy, contributing to local fuel shortages and raising concerns about supermarket supplies.
Elsewhere on the continent, tens of thousands marched in Lisbon to protest low wages, expensive housing and the rising cost of living, increasing pressure on Portugal's centre-right government. Spain saw nationwide demonstrations after the eviction of an 87-year-old woman, a flashpoint that intensified public anger over housing shortages and soaring rents and helped precipitate a snap election. Belgium and Albania also experienced large demonstrations driven by grievances ranging from purchasing power to perceived government corruption and poor public services.
Political implications: the far right and energy narratives
Political scientists and analysts say the surge in energy costs has become a powerful driver of populist sentiment across Europe. Gilles Ivaldi, a political scientist at Sciences Po, described concerns about purchasing power as "a major driver of populist politics" on the continent. Those political forces are framing energy costs as a central issue that is often presented as attributable to government decisions rather than to complex geopolitical shocks.
In France, the spike in energy costs arrives as the country prepares for a presidential election next April. Both far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen and hard-left veteran Jean-Luc Melenchon have made fuel prices key elements of their campaigns. Polling by Elabe indicates Le Pen's support has increased since the Iran conflict began while President Macron's ratings have fallen. Le Pen's proposal to sharply cut value-added tax on fuel has found broad public approval, resonating particularly with voters in rural and semi-rural areas for whom car travel is essential.
In Germany, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) leads national opinion polls after notable gains in local contests. German inflation rose to nearly a three-year high in September, with energy price inflation jumping to 14.9%, a dynamic that the AfD has used to criticize Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The AfD argues for restoring energy ties with Russia, contending that Berlin's policies supporting Ukraine are contributing to domestic economic pain and undermining energy security for German households and energy-intensive industries.
Similar political currents are evident in Italy and Poland. In Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni faces a challenge from National Future, a new far-right party led by former army general Roberto Vannacci, which advocates reestablishing gas links with Russia. In Poland, a country known for strong support of Ukraine, the far-right Confederation of the Polish Crown has gained support in part because of energy-bill anxiety; its leader Grzegorz Braun has publicly advocated a return to buying Russian oil and gas, even remarking, "I love the smell of Russian gas in the morning."
Campaign framing and voter response
Experts note that populist parties tend to simplify the narrative around energy costs, attributing them to policy choices rather than to geopolitics that are harder to explain. Jan Steckel, a professor for the political economy of climate change at the Technical University of Munich, said past experience shows a link between high energy prices and voter turnout for the AfD. He explained that when energy costs are treated as avoidable and linked to government policy, voters may be more likely to turn to populist options. Steckel added that geopolitical shocks are more complex to convey to the public, which often leaves incumbent parties struggling to defend policy choices.
Those dynamics are shaping election narratives across multiple countries. Fuel-cost proposals have become central to campaigns, boosting far-right parties' appeal among key constituencies such as rural motorists, transport workers and small-business owners who see fuel as a direct input to their livelihoods.
Where the pressure is felt most
The unrest and political shifts underscore pressure on several sectors. Transport and logistics face direct operational stress from higher diesel and gasoline prices and from protests that disrupt freight flows. Retail and grocery supply chains are exposed to interruptions in deliveries and to amplified consumer concerns about purchasing power. Agricultural producers, particularly those reliant on machinery and fuel-intensive processes, report sharply worse unit economics as fuel costs rise. Financial markets are monitoring widening fiscal pressures on governments that must balance support for households with fiscal discipline.
Summary and outlook
Rising energy costs linked to a broader geopolitical conflict have pushed consumer anxiety into public demonstrations across Europe, from rural Sicily to major cities such as Paris and Milan. The economic strain is translating into political capital for far-right parties that have made energy prices a campaign focus. Governments face the immediate task of addressing public grievances while also contending with electoral risks as the political landscape shifts in the lead-up to key votes next year.