There are waves of protests sweeping across continents, from Asia to Africa to Europe to the Americas. The protesters predominantly are young; and their agendas varied — from regime change to high inflation. In Bangladesh, students staged protests in August to change the political regime; and in Kenya the “Gen Z” forced the government to withdraw new tax proposals. In India, the angst of the youth against the government has resulted in a rare structured movement, the Cockroach Janta Party, that has garnered massive support on social media.
On November 1, 2025, there were 35 anti-government protests globally, according to Carnegie’s global protest tracker. In the 12 months prior to this, the world witnessed 128 anti-government protests in 70 countries.
When one examines the agendas and the structure of protests worldwide, one broad picture emerges: These protests are informal by leadership and very much issue-based. These protests are not steered by any chosen leadership. Rather, these movements are being fuelled and sustained by various developmental issues and steered by the youths. This seems obvious at a time when the world by far has the largest youth population in history.
The US Agency for International Aid (USAID) estimated that the world is currently home to 2.4 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 29. One can term it as the largest generation ever.
“The proportion of people willing to participate in demonstrations has increased to its highest levels since the 1990s, and the number of protests has also risen in this period,” said a UNICEF report. The UNICEF report asserts that since the turn of the 21st century, “new trends that distinguish recent protests from those of the past have become more evident. Young people have played an important role in defining some of these patterns.”
The youth-led protests are driven by mass appeal and without formal leadership. They are happening in more informal political spaces and seeing a change in agenda — from being against liberalisation in the early 2000s to climate justice to food and energy inflation; and now to direct action for a change in regime to inequality and the feeling of marginalisation.
According to a study, youth protests aiming at regime change, like in Bangladesh and Nepal, have grown since 1990. Interestingly, the protests are seen across poor, developing and developed countries. One analysis said that from November 2021 to October 2022, protests against the cost-of-living crisis (including food and energy inflation) triggered 12,500 protests and riots in 150 countries. Students led nearly 10 per cent of the protests. In many cases, protests for local issues spread to neighbouring countries. For instance, the Arab Spring in the 2010s started from protests in Tunisia against economic hardship that spread to Egypt, Libya, Syria and Yemen.
Some 30 years ago, the UN’s World Summit for Social Development adopted a resolution to put people at the centre of development. For two decades prior to this, the world obsessively pursued a neoliberal policy believed to increase economic growth, reduce poverty and bring in equity.
There were palpable signs that the trickle-down strategy had not worked, and inequality deepened, leading to widespread protests and resentment across the world. The Summit was the first time that the world took note of the deprivation the majority of people suffered, with “distressing consequences”. Its declaration, adopted by 186 countries, promised inclusive policies to achieve three key objectives of social development: eradicating poverty, promoting full and productive employment, and fostering social inclusion.
It also talked about “uncertainty and insecurity” that the neoliberal economic policy and exclusionary nature of development could lead to. This declaration has been the key guiding principle for development calls like the Sustainable Development Goals.
Since the 1995 Summit, over a billion people have escaped poverty; life expectancy and wealth generation have grown. The world discusses a collective approach to equality and development goals. More countries have adopted democracy. The pertinent question is: why do the youth protest so much and so often? “Many people believe that life is worse now than it was 50 years ago,” said the World Social Report 2025 by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). A Gallup World Poll on life satisfaction finds 60 per cent of respondents “struggling” and 12 per cent “suffering”.
Inequality in income and wealth has risen since 1990, particularly in developing countries like China and India. According to an assessment, two-thirds of the world population lives in countries where inequality has increased. Any abrupt event, like extreme weather, can push them below the poverty line. The World Bank said every fifth person is at risk from climate disasters. The world also has the highest-ever young population currently; so, exclusion from development and future uncertainties threaten youth the most.
Youth protests aiming at regime change, like in Bangladesh and Nepal, have grown since 1990. Interestingly, the protests are seen across poor, developing and developed countries. One analysis showed that from November 2021 to October 2022, protests against the cost-of-living crisis (including food and energy inflation) triggered 12,500 protests and riots in 150 countries
The rise in protests is due to two prime reasons: a sense of exclusion that polarises the society and the ineffectiveness of the democratic institutions. Over half of the world’s people have little or no trust in their government, said the UN DESA report. This lack of confidence triggers the explosion of youth rage. What are the issues that drive the youth to lead such massive movements?
There have been massive protests against globalisation in the early 21st century followed by outrage against economic hardship and more recently for democracy and freedom. Climate justice is also slowly featuring as a trigger for global mobilisation.
In recent years, particularly after the pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis seems to be the dominant trigger. As per an estimate, between November 2021 and October 2022, as many as 12,500 protests and riots were recorded in 150 countries. Most of these protests or riots revolved around inflation, energy cost and food shortages, and youths played a key role in them.
Social scientists and policy makers are trying to understand why the youths are so angry. Most assessments, including the one by UNICEF, point towards a young world, asserting against lack of basic survival means and the ineffectiveness of the current political system to respond to their needs.
The overarching issue of most protests is economic security — simply put employment and livelihood. Many treat this as a sign of the current development model not being able to meet the aspiration of the generation. So, the protests are for a new development model which has not been defined or developed till now.
Some years ago, the International Labour Organization (ILO) taking note of the increasing restless among the youth noted, “The youth employment crisis, in all its manifestations, is not merely a transitory development related to sluggish economic growth, but it may become a structural trend if no significant policy changes are put in place.” Some interpret these protests as reflection of the youths’ political profile or affiliation.
A survey published in sage Open analysed data from 1 million people in 128 countries from the early 2000s up to 2017, and said, “Those under 40 were more likely to prefer informal political activities than those older than 40. Some believe this is because young people have greater interest in issue-based politics and action that requires no intermediaries, rather than in traditional, institutionalised politics.”
The UNICEF study supports this change in outlook and role of engagement between the old and new generations. “Global analyses have shown in recent years that older and younger cohorts have different views on democracy as a platform for political engagement. Compared with older cohorts, the youth have become increasingly frustrated by the inadequate performance of democratic institutions,” it said.
Earth4All, a collective of economic thinkers, scientists and advocates, released the findings of a survey conducted in the G20 countries (including India) on trust in their governments. It also covered aspects such as whether the wealthy should be taxed more and if people trust that their government is doing enough to save the planet from an environmental meltdown.
The 2025 Global Youth Participation Index, an European Union-funded research group, found that while those under thirty years old are less likely to vote in elections, they are more likely to play active roles in online and in-person civic and political movements
The survey sought opinions from 22,000 people from the countries that account for 85 per cent of the world GDP. The Earth4All survey found that just 39 per cent of the people believe that their “government can be trusted to make decisions for the benefit of the majority of people.” The question on their trust in the government to take such beneficial decisions in the long run (20-30 years) saw only 37 per cent replying in the affirmative.
This lack of trust in the government reflects people’s desire for reform of both national and global political systems. Nearly two-thirds of the people surveyed wanted changes in the political system of their country. Close to 30 per cent people felt a need for a “complete” reform of their political system.
In India, the survey offers interesting insights on the people’s trust in the political system. On trusting the government for making decisions for the majority, 74 per cent Indians surveyed showed strong confidence. Nearly the same level of trust was recorded for the government making suitable decisions in the long run.
A question, on which political system will be suitable to run the country, saw 87 per cent vote for “having experts make decisions according to what they think is best for the country”. However, 86 per cent people voted for a “democratic political system”. Among the low-income households surveyed, 83 per cent showed trust on a system run by experts while 79 per cent on the democratic system, which is significantly lower than the overall figure (of 86 per cent) recorded in the survey.
Sandrine Dixson-Declève, executive chair of Earth4All, said the mistrust on government is notable in Europe. He sees the mistrust in context of another significant finding: Over two-thirds of the respondents felt that the G20 countries’ economic priority should be health, general wellbeing and nature instead of just creating profit and wealth. “With the recent European elections moving towards the radical right, we need to hold governments accountable to introduce an economy that services people and the planet at the same time,” he said.
Owen Gaffney, co-lead of the Earth4All initiative, sums up the findings, saying, “The vast majority of people we surveyed in the world’s largest economies believe major immediate action is needed this decade to tackle climate change and protect nature. At the same time many feel the economy is not working for them and want political and economic reform. It’s possible this may well help explain the rise in populist leaders.”
The recent rise in youth-led protests follows a larger trend of political movements that have emerged or gained popularity on social media — dating back at least to the 2011 Arab Spring. The 2025 Global Youth Participation Index, an European Union-funded research group, found that while those under thirty years old are less likely to vote in elections, they are more likely to play active roles in online and in-person civic and political movements.