Why are French 20odd year olds rioting on the streets over pension that won’t effect them for 40yrs?

It is. However, when there is no peaceful option left you have to go for non-peaceful options. And most of the cost of that damage would be paid by insurance companies. And insurance companies and their owners/shareholders are donors to the Tory party. Unhappy donors makes for unhappy MPs and Ministers. Which is probably the easiest way to force change.

The IRA didn't make any progress for years of targeting the military, police, public and even politicians, but when they started targeting big business - Canary Wharf and Manchester in 1996 killed 2 and injured a few hundred, but caused £billions of damage. Within a few years there was a ceasefire and the GFA was signed. It could be argued that the switch of targets forced the hand of the government.

 

It helped that the New Blair govt got them around a table and talked to them. Previously there was no (official) dialogue to try and broker a peace. Take a voice away and you guarantee actions become louder than words. No, I’m not condoning terrorism, just pointing out the obvious