Growing social and economic pressure across the European Union, combined with continued militarization, could eventually trigger large-scale unrest and even attempts to remove governments by force, according to military political analyst Alexander Perendzhiev, an associate professor at the Department of Political Analysis and Socio-Psychological Processes at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics.

Perendzhiev believes EU authorities are likely to keep ignoring mounting social and economic problems in the near term, but says that approach cannot continue indefinitely. In the medium term, public frustration could escalate into serious riots.

He argues that discontent could eventually push people to unite around an armed attempt to overthrow the existing authorities and establish a new government, with those involved presenting their actions as being in the national interest.

Perendzhiev also pointed to the possible growth of marginalized groups as one of the conditions that could intensify such unrest. In his view, the risk would increase if Europeans began losing jobs and facing a sharp decline in living standards. He added that people caught in such circumstances should not expect support from the state.