New Delhi — NEW DELHI – From the Andes to the Himalayas, a new wave of protests is unfolding around the world, driven by generational discontent against governments and anger among the youth.
Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina was forced this week to step down and subsequently exit the country Military mutinythe culmination of weeks of demonstrations led by young demonstrators who refer to themselves as “Gen Z Madagascar.”
The anger against the political establishment in the Indian Ocean island nation mirrors other recent protests around the world, in countries such as… Nepal, The Philippines, Indonesia, Kenya, Peru and Morocco. These protests were sparked by specific grievances, but were driven by long-standing issues such as widening inequality, economic uncertainty, corruption, and nepotism of leaders.
But they have one thing in common: Most of them are leaderless, made up primarily of young people who call themselves “Generation Z,” defined as those born roughly between 1996 and 2010 — the first generation to grow up entirely in the Internet age.
“What connects these youth-led protests is a shared sense that traditional political systems are not responsive to the concerns of their generation, whether that be corruption, climate change or economic inequality,” said Sam Nadel, director of the Social Change Lab, a U.K.-based nonprofit that researches protests and social movements. “Protest then becomes the logical outlet when institutional channels feel blocked.”
Although their specific demands vary, most of these protests have been sparked by government abuses or neglect. Some of them also faced harsh treatment by security forces and brutal repression.
In Morocco, a leaderless group called Gen Z 212 — named after the Moroccan dialing code — did just that They were taken to the streets To demand improved public services and increased spending on health and education. Protests in Peru against the retirement law It exploded into broader demandsincluding taking action to address growing insecurity and rampant corruption in government. in indonesia, Deadly protests Disagreements have erupted over lawmakers’ benefits and the cost of living, forcing the president to replace key economic and security ministers.
The most widely known movement dubbed the “Generation Z” protests was the deadly uprising in Nepal that culminated with… Resignation of the Prime Minister In September. The protesters drew inspiration from successful anti-government movements Elsewhere in South Asia – Sri Lanka in 2022 and Bangladesh in 2024 – leading to the overthrow of existing regimes.
In Madagascar, protesters say they were particularly inspired by movements in Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Protests against the regime began Water and electricity outages But it quickly turned into broader discontent, as demonstrators called on the president and other ministers to step down. The leader of the military coup in Madagascar announced on Wednesday that he “assumes the position of president.”
Across many countries, a unique symbol of popular culture has emerged: a black flag featuring a smiling skull and crossbones wearing a straw hat. The lore comes from a Japanese manga and anime series called “One Piece,” which follows a crew of pirates as they take on corrupt governments.
In Nepal, demonstrators hung the same flag at the gates of Singha Durbar, the seat of Nepal’s government, and on ministries, many of which were burned in the protests. Crowds also raised it in Indonesia, the Philippines, Morocco and Madagascar.
Last week, in the Peruvian capital Lima, 27-year-old electrician David Tavor stood with the same flag in San Martin Square, now the scene of weekly protests.
“We are fighting the same battle – against corrupt officials who, in our case, are also killers,” he said, recalling that the government of President Dina Boluarte has retained power since December 2022 despite more than 500 protests and the killing of 50 civilians.
“In my case, it’s anger over abuse of power, corruption and deaths,” Tafur said, referring to the sharp rise in murders and extortion that the South American country has suffered since 2017, amid new laws that have weakened anti-crime efforts.
Boluarte had been under investigation for months over various allegations including bribery and involvement in a deadly crackdown on protesters in 2022. She was replaced last week by interim President Jose Jiri.
Tafur said that is not enough.
He added: “The president is an ally of Congress and he must leave.”
Many important protests in the past, such as Occupy Wall Street in 2011, the Arab Spring between 2010 and 2012, and the Umbrella Revolution in Hong Kong in 2014, were led by youth. While they have also used the Internet and social media for mass mobilization, Generation Z protesters are taking it to another level.
“Digital platforms are powerful tools for sharing information and building connections, but the most effective movements often combine digital mobilization with traditional in-person organizing, as we saw in these recent protests,” said Social Change Lab’s Nadel.
Days before the deadly protests began in Nepal, the government announced a ban on most social media platforms for not adhering to the registration deadline. Many Nepali youth saw this as an attempt to silence them and began accessing social media sites through virtual private networks to avoid detection.
Over the next few days, they used TikTok, Instagram and Later, some of them also used the game chat platform Discord to suggest who would be nominated Interim leader of the country.
“Whatever movement is happening, whether against corruption or injustice, it spreads through digital media. The same thing happened in Nepal. The changes that happened after the Generation Z protests in Nepal spread globally through digital platforms, affecting other countries as well,” protester Yojan Rajbhandari said.
He said that the protests in Nepal have not only awakened the youth but also other generations.
“We realized that we are global citizens and the digital space connects us all and plays a powerful role across the globe,” Rajbhandari said.
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Associated Press journalists Franklin Briceño in Lima, Peru, and Niranjan Shrestha in Kathmandu, Nepal, contributed to this report.