NEW DELHI– NEW DELHI (AP) — From the Andes to the Himalayas, a new wave of protests is unfolding across the world, driven by generational discontent with governments and anger among young people.
This week, Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina was forced to step down and leave the country after a military mutiny, the culmination of weeks of protests led by young demonstrators calling themselves “Generation Z Madagascar.”
Anger against the political establishment in the Indian Ocean island nation mirrors other recent protests across the world, in countries including Nepal, the Philippines, Indonesia, Kenya, Peru and Morocco. These protests were sparked by specific grievances, but they are driven by long-standing problems such as widening inequality, economic uncertainty, corruption and nepotism by leaders.
But they have one thing in common: Mostly leaderless, they are primarily made up of young people who identify as “Generation Z,” defined as those born approximately between 1996 and 2010 — the first generation to have grown up entirely in the Internet age.
“What connects these youth-led protests is a shared sense that traditional political systems are not addressing the concerns of their generation, whether it’s corruption, climate change or economic inequality. Protest then becomes the logical outlet when institutional channels feel blocked,” said Sam Nadel, director of the Social Change Lab, a UK-based nonprofit that studies protests and social movements.
Although their specific demands differ, most of these protests have been sparked by government overreach or neglect. Some have also faced harsh treatment by security forces and brutal repression.
In Morocco, a leaderless collective called Gen Z 212 – named after the Moroccan telephone area code – took to the streets to demand better public services and increased spending on health and education. In Peru, protests against a pension law have led to broader demands, including measures to combat rising insecurity and widespread corruption in government. In Indonesia, deadly protests have erupted over benefits for lawmakers and the cost of living, forcing the president to replace top economy and security ministers.
The protest movement most widely recognized as “Generation Z” was the deadly uprising in Nepal that culminated in the resignation of the prime minister in September. The protesters took inspiration from successful anti-government movements elsewhere in South Asia – in Sri Lanka in 2022 and Bangladesh in 2024 – which led to the ousting of existing regimes.
In Madagascar, demonstrators say they are particularly inspired by the movements in Nepal and Sri Lanka.
The protests began against regular water and electricity cuts, but quickly escalated into broader discontent, with demonstrators calling for the president and other ministers to step down. On Wednesday, the Malagasy military coup leader declared that he was “taking the post of president”.
In several countries, a singular pop culture symbol has emerged: a black flag showing a smiling skull wearing a straw hat. The flag comes from a cult Japanese manga and anime series called “One Piece,” which follows a crew of pirates as they take on corrupt governments.
In Nepal, protesters hung the same flag on the gates of the Singha Durbar, the seat of Nepal’s government, and at ministries, many of which were burned during the protests. It has also been hoisted by crowds in Indonesia, the Philippines, Morocco and Madagascar.
Last week, in Lima, the Peruvian capital, David Tafur, a 27-year-old electrician, stood with the same flag in San Martín Square, now the scene of weekly protests.
“We are leading the same fight, against corrupt officials who, in our case, are also killers,” he said, recalling that the government of President Dina Boluarte has remained in power since December 2022 despite more than 500 protests and the death of 50 civilians.
“In my case, it is outrage over abuse of power, corruption and deaths,” Tafur said, referring to the sharp increase in murders and extortion plaguing the South American country since 2017, amid new laws that have weakened crime-fighting efforts.
Boluarte had been under investigation for months for various allegations, including corruption and involvement in a deadly crackdown on protesters in 2022. She was replaced last week by interim President José Jerí.
Tafur said it wasn’t enough.
“The president is an ally of Congress and must go,” he said.
Many major 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 young people. While they have also used the internet and social media for mass mobilization, “Generation Z” protesters are taking the issue 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 have seen in these recent protests,” said Nadel of the Social Change Lab.
Days before deadly protests began in Nepal, the government announced a ban on most social media platforms for failing to meet a registration deadline. Many young Nepalis saw this as an attempt to silence them and began accessing social media sites through virtual private networks to evade detection.
Over the next few days, they used TikTok, Instagram and X to highlight the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ children, highlighting the disparities between Nepal’s rich and poor, and announce planned rallies and venues. Later, some of them also used gaming chat platform Discord to suggest who to appoint as the country’s interim leader.
“Whatever movement happens, whether it is corruption or injustice, it spreads through digital media. The same thing happened in Nepal. The changes that took place after the Gen Z protests in Nepal spread globally through digital platforms, influencing other countries as well,” said protester Yujan Rajbhandari.
He said the protests in Nepal have awakened not only 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 world,” Rajbhandari said.
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Associated Press journalists Franklin Briceño in Lima, Peru, and Niranjan Shrestha in Kathmandu, Nepal, contributed to this report.
