We frequently witness massive protests across various European countries, but when was the last time a European government actually fell because of them?

Following a turbulent transition, most Eastern European regimes now appear stabilized: economic and political elites have emerged, controlling sufficient national resources to the point where personal well-being depends on submission to the regime. Elections are materially conditioned by pervasive clientelism, while protests remain powerless as long as they cannot threaten the elite’s political control or economic interests.