From stormed palaces to fleeing heads of state, a number of Asian countries are witnessing political transformations led by a generation born into the digital age.
This digitally savvy Gen Z, a term referring to people born roughly between 1997 and 2012, has emerged as a formidable force, challenging authoritarianism, corruption and economic inequality with street-level activism.
In Nepal, youth protests against a social media ban and corruption toppled Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli’s government last week.
Indonesia witnessed large-scale protests recently, triggered by lavish perks for lawmakers, among other grievances. President Prabowo Subianto’s administration barely managed to hold on, scrambling to meet youth demands by firing ministers and rolling back the perks.
In Bangladesh, student-led mass protests in July-August 2024 drew the curtain on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule and forced her to flee to neighboring India.
And Sri Lanka’s 2022 unrest amid economic turmoil led to the ouster of then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Failure to grasp the pulse of youth
Some experts liken the situation in Asia to the Arab Spring, a series of mass protests in the Middle East and North Africa in the early 2010s. The Arab Spring was driven by rage over corruption and economic hardship and toppled several governments, including those of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen.
Yet, the aftermath was anything but triumphant. The Arab Spring gave way to years of unrest and fragile transitions.
Despite the differences in political settings, experts say the issues that sparked the Arab Spring are similar to those that triggered the unrest in places like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. They cite widespread frustration and discontent over corruption, economic hardship and misgovernance.
Annisa R. Beta, senior lecturer in cultural studies at the University of Melbourne, also highlighted the powerful role played by social media in spreading discontent and facilitating youth-led demonstrations.
This shift has made centralized control over youth nearly impossible, she noted.
“Younger generations, Gen Zs, Gen Alphas, are not interested in being led by just one charismatic figure,” Beta told DW, adding that they are comfortable with a decentralized movement that remains sharply focused on its goals.
Ishrat Hossain, research fellow at the German Institute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA), shared a similar view. “In many cases, social digital platforms have compounded the impact of the protests on the streets and provided outlets for non-traditional protest leaders to emerge, such as rappers and hackers.”
A generational shift?
Rajat Das Shrestha, a musician, is one of the most prominent figures of the Gen Z movement in Nepal. He believes the root causes of the unrest in all these countries are the same.
“I think corruption and the authoritarian mindset of governments aren’t just problems in Nepal or Bangladesh. They exist in varying degrees across the entire region.”
Shrestha sees a pattern unfolding across Asia. He said the message from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka was clear: “Governments can fall when the youth rise.”
If rulers “continue to ignore the dreams and frustrations of young people,” he said, “similar events will happen in many other countries in this region.”
Beta believes this youth-led movement is not a fleeting moment, but a generational shift.
“We’re expecting a continuous process, a continuous political awakening that is marked by Gen Z. But also we will see very clearly among Gen Alphas and Gen Betas as well,” she said, referring to those born after 2010.
Charting their own course
While the initial sparks in these countries may look similar, each of them is now charting its own course.
Sri Lanka has regained political and economic stability over the past three years. Its economy is again growing at a decent pace, indicating a strengthening recovery from its worst financial crisis in decades.
Indonesia has managed to preserve its existing system, weathering the recent protests without systemic upheaval.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh is in a precarious position,caught between sweeping reforms and democratic elections and risking a slide into deeper chaos.
GIGA expert Hossain remains “cautiously optimistic” about what comes next.
“Without institutionalization of broader protest demands — through legal mechanisms, budget allocation and oversight structures — today’s victories could become tomorrow’s nostalgia,” she said.
Felicia Salvina from Indonesia and Syamantak Ghosh from India contributed to this report.
Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru
