If there was an informal European Union championship for street protest then Greece and France would be the two most regular winners. Greek and French workers have traditionally staged strikes and demonstrations with a gusto and frequency that puts their European rivals in the shade.
Last week, both countries were at it again. In Greece, striking workers blocked access to the Acropolis in protest against job losses and were dispersed by riot police with teargas. Demonstrations in France against efforts to raise the retirement age also gathered momentum, with millions taking to the streets.
The French seem to enjoy strikings. Last week there was a slightly festive air – with flags, drums, torches, chants and even fancy dress on display. There is something faintly ridiculous about schoolchildren striking to protect their pensions, which makes it tempting to dismiss all this as street theatre and to assume that the real decisions will be made elsewhere. But that would be a mistake. The French strikes are causing serious disruption to the economy, with a threat that the country could soon run short of petrol.