The year that bids us farewell is interwoven with the enumeration of persons and events that had a decisive influence on what lovers of historical typology call “its style”.
But 2025 was the year that, among other things, was associated with the insurgent action of the people that epigrammatically and – possibly abusively – we learned to call Generation Z (better known as ), i.e. the set of young people over 15 and under 30 years old.
Action spread over the entire spectrum of the calendar year and across the entire geographic scale of the world, with the “list” including a double-digit number of countries, with different characteristics between them. But with a common point is the combustible material that gives rise to the divergence of interests between the most vibrant part of society and the local political elites.
A dimension fueled by events with a deep material footprint, such as the ongoing water and electricity blackouts in Madagascar, the corruption scandal involving government spending on flood control projects in the Philippines, and the deaths of pregnant women due to poor health services in Morocco. And for that they are able to enclose the strongest symbolism of the rupture of the social contract.
The logo that connects them is a sign of global synchronicity. The protestors adopted a more modern version of the “Jolly Roger” pirate flag, in a cultural reference consistent with the generation’s own time frame.
If the combination of government authoritarianism, political corruption, lack of economic opportunities and a dynamic demographic profile explain the age-related conditions of the phenomenon, the differences do not cease to exist. The actual outcome of the mobilizations varies by country, with some systems undergoing a total shuffling of the deck (Nepal, Madagascar), others surviving intra-governmental changes (Peru, Serbia, Indonesia) and the rest continuing in decay (Togo, Cameroon), still feeling the hot breath of struggling youth.
Timeline of rebellions
A first, indicative look at the time map of the GenZ uprisings has its significance, however.
At Serbiathe large anti-government protests that began in November last year, following the deadly accident at the Novi Sad train station in Serbia that claimed the lives of 16 people, are still gaining momentum. With the resignations of the prime minister and three other cabinet members a fact, the pressure has shifted entirely to president Aleksandar Vucic. The demands of the protesters – led by organized students – beyond justice for the tragedy, concern the holding of early elections and wider democratic reforms such as the legal recognition of student councils and the re-registration of electoral rolls.
In IndonesiaFebruary was the month in which . President Prabovo Subianto’s decision to implement strict austerity was accompanied by reports revealing that all 580 lawmakers received a monthly housing allowance of 50 million rupiah (€2,628) on top of their salary. The demonstrations continue to this day, with 11 dead (protesters and police) and dozens injured, while new information is coming to light about new parliamentary allowances.
At Togo20-year-old President Faure Gnassingbe’s proposal for constitutional reform to change the constitution from a presidential to a parliamentary one (with the same head of the executive branch), sparked outrage, which was intensified by the beating and arrest of rapper Amron, who criticized the regime’s authoritarianism and corruption. Since then the M6.6 movement (refers to the date of the first protests) remains active, with the government not sparing repression (14 are estimated to have died and hundreds of injured and arrested).
At Nepalthe mass protests lasted only a few days (September 8-13) but took on explosive proportions, including arson and vandalism in various central parts of the tiny Himalayan nation, . The protests began after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli proposed a ban on social media and led to his resignation and the installation of former Chief Justice of Nepal Susila Karki as caretaker prime minister. Final tally of the clashes between protesters and security forces, 76 dead and over 2,000 injured.
At Peruthe decision by highly unpopular President Dina Bolluarte to push for compulsory inclusion of young people in the private insurance system in September caused widespread social unrest, leading to her ouster in October. The protests continue, while being characterized by a general disapproval of the political system, at a time when President Jose Gerry is accused of sexual assault and a presidential election is scheduled for April 2026.
September was a difficult month for the Moroccowhich saw unprecedented demonstrations in its history, with three dead and hundreds injured. Cause, the aforementioned series of deaths of eight pregnant women who had been admitted to a public hospital in the city of Agadir to undergo caesarean sections. But the real cause turns out to be raging inequality, personified by billionaire Prime Minister Aziz Achnoush. King Mohammed acted as a mediator in this matter, asking the government to speed up the reforms. Although the tension has eased, after the announcement of investments amounting to 15 billion dollars in Health and Education, the protests continue.
In the same month, Madagascar saw the reign of President Andriy Rojelina, a figure who has dominated political affairs since the middle of the previous decade, come to an end after three weeks of bloody protests and with the military (specifically the elite CAPSAT unit) once again “signing” the outcome.
At Cameroonthe October 12 presidential election saw the victory of the country’s 43-year-old leader, Paul Biya, who is 92 years old and facing serious health problems. The delay in the results and Biya’s highly authoritarian past raised serious doubts about the validity of the process, with thousands of citizens pouring into the streets, calling for his resignation and the recognition of Isa Chiroma Bakari as the legitimate president. To date, casualties from the fierce clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces are estimated at dozens.
At Bulgariathe budget submitted at the end of November, which provided for a significant increase in insurance contributions, met strong resistance from the social body, resulting in its withdrawal. Although the official opposition and unions play an important role, the decisive role of social media and sloganeering confirms the decisive role of the youth as a driving force.
