How Youth Are Redefining Global Politics
From the streets of Kathmandu to Madagascar’s capital, a new global trend is emerging: youth activism challenging entrenched power structures. “Gen Z protests,” these young-led movements across Africa, Asia, and South America, are a generation tired of corruption, inequality, and governments that do not care about their plight.
Madagascar provides the latest extreme example. Weeks of protests over water and electricity shortages, organized by young people who identify themselves as “Gen Z Madagascar,” culminated in President Andry Rajoelina having to leave the nation. A week after that, a military clique known as CAPSAT seized control, appointing Col. Michael Randrianirina as acting president. Others view this as a coup, but most Malagasy citizens come optimistically to the prospect of enjoying civilian government returned to them again, remembering previous political nightmares which finally produced stability.
The Global Wave of Gen Z Rage
This young people-driven wave of protest is not new in Madagascar. In Nepal, young protesters toppled the government following a social media ban and deep-rooted corruption that led Prime Minister Sharma Oli to step down. The same has happened in Peru, Morocco, Indonesia, Kenya, and the Philippines as youth protests against corruption, rising living costs, and governmental neglect have resulted in resignations, cabinet reshuffles, and country-wide debates.
One such symbol for all these movements is the black flag of the popular Japanese manga series One Piece, a pirate’s skull featuring a straw hat. Protesters brandish the flag as a symbol of opposition to corrupt government officials and indifferent governments.
Digital Activism Meets Street Protests
Unlike their forebears, Gen Z protesters are indigenous to the digital environment. Social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, X, and Discord have evolved to become essential tools for organizing protests, information dissemination, communication, and promotion of the government’s failures. In Nepal, for instance, young activists utilized the platforms to vent politicians’ children’s lavish lifestyles, plan marches, and even submit makeshift leaders.
“Cyberspace unites us worldwide,” Nepalese activist Yujan Rajbhandari says. “We realized that we are not just fighting locally — our struggles echo worldwide.”
Coups and Contested Authority
While Gen Z activism has overthrown governments in some countries, military interventions are a different trend, especially in Africa. Madagascar’s coup last week marked the tenth successful military takeover in Africa during the 2020s, underscoring that while youth-led unrest exposes deep regime vulnerabilities, it is often the armed forces that deliver the swiftest — and most disruptive — change. Col. Randrianirina, a relative outsider from Madagascar’s impoverished south, promises elections within two years and insists once more that “power belongs to the people, not to me.” Whether he keeps this promise remains to be seen.
The Broader Implications
These events mark the growing place of youth in politics. Gen Z protests signify a call across generations for accountability, fairness, and openness, and the appearance of military coup d’etats signifies entrenched structural weaknesses in governance. For policy makers, the message is clear: ignoring youth grievances and systemic corruption is no longer on the agenda.
On continents, one thing is certain: the union of online mobilization and street protest is reshaping the political landscape, and governments and militaries will have to adapt — or risk being swept away. https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/10/17/gen-z-protests-global-revolution-youth/
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