Youth protests in Albania, Switzerland, Serbia and other countries have attracted the attention of generations’s researchers. German expert Rüdiger Maas says that even though young people are getting on the streets in many countries, their reasons and demands vary markedly from place to place.

In an interview for the Swiss medium WatsonMaas has also talked about youth protests in Albania, stressing that Albanian demonstrators have explained their movements through discontent with the government and the opposition, which are accused of corruption.

According to him, young people who have protested in Albania do not necessarily identify themselves with the left or the political right, but put patriotism, national pride and the country’s future first plan.

Maas has indicated that during contacts with Albanian protesters, he has heard demands for political change, including the departure of Edi Rama’s government, but opposition to the opposition as well.

He has compared protests in Albania to those in Switzerland and Germany, where, according to his assessment, the demands of a part of young people are more focused on personal interests, such as maintaining the standard of living, the possibility of buying a home, and rejecting compulsory military service.

On the other hand, in countries such as Serbia, Madagascar, and Nepal, the expert notes that protests are more oriented towards changes affecting the whole society, including access to electricity, drinking water and better living opportunities.

Speaking of Mr. Maas’ generation, he has criticised what he considers a lack of clear demands in some of Western European protests, the Telegraph broadcast.

According to him, movements become more effective when they focus on few concrete requirements and exert direct pressure for change.

He has also stressed that social networks play an important role in mobilizing young people, but could also influence radicalisation of protests and the way the public perceives them.

The interview comes at a time when generation Z protests are emerging in different parts of the world, while discontent with institutions, corruption and economic perspective are taking different forms from one state to another./Telegraphy/