Over the past two years, the world has witnessed an unprecedented wave of youth mobilisation, often led by Generation Z, those born between the late 1990s and the early 2010s. This generation has been able to transform dissatisfaction and digital connections into concrete political pressure, demonstrating that young people are no longer mere spectators, but actors capable of influencing the decisions of institutions and national leadership.
Bulgaria: government overwhelmed by youth protests
Bulgaria is a recent and significant example. In December 2025, protests supported by young people dissatisfied with corruption, economic inequality and the distance of the elite led to the resignation of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov's government, just hours before a parliamentary vote of no confidence. The mobilisation combined presence in the streets with digital activism through platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, demonstrating the effectiveness of a hybrid protest model.
Although it cannot yet be claimed that there is a generational dominance in European politics, the fall of a government following a movement attributed to Gen Z marks a turning point, highlighting the increasing important role of young people in national political dynamics.
Youth movements around the world
This phenomenon is not limited to Europe. In Asia, Africa and Latin America, Generation Z has led mobilisations capable of bringing about concrete change:
Nepal (2025) – Protests began against a ban on social media turned into a broad anti-corruption movement, leading to the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Digital coordination helped attract international attention.
Kenya (2024) – Protests against a controversial Finance Bill prompted the government to suspend and withdraw parts of the bill, with demonstrators temporarily occupying the entrances to Parliament in some cities.
Madagascar and Morocco (2025) – In Madagascar, youth protests led to the dissolution of the government due to shortcomings in essential services. In Morocco, the 'Gen Z 212' movement demanded greater transparency and better living conditions, mobilising thousands of young people in the streets.
Peru (2025) – In South America, young people have used digital tools to organise protests against crime and corruption, challenging unstable governments and leadership who have been repeatedly impeached.
These events show that youth mobilisation is a global and varied phenomenon: it does not always lead to the fall of governments, but it often brings about concrete changes, through resignations or modifications to specific policies. Generation Z is thus effective.
Several factors explain Gen Z's growing impact:
1. Widespread digital connectivity: tools such as TikTok, Instagram and Discord allow messages, information, video and audio evidence to spread and mobilisations to be coordinated quickly.
2. Shared culture of protest: pop culture symbols, such as manga-inspired flags, become universal languages of resistance.
3. Widespread sense of urgency: having grown up amid economic, environmental and institutional crises, Gen Z sees little future in traditional political models.
Young people go beyond traditional forms of participation such as political parties and elections, but combine digital tools and physical presence, generating pressure from below that is difficult to ignore.
Nonostante non domini ancora la politica globale, la Generazione Z sta cambiando radicalmente il modo in cui i giovani si impegnano nella vita pubblica. Dalle piazze di Sofia a Kathmandu, da Nairobi a Lima, emerge una generazione pronta a trasformare frustrazione e indignazione in azioni concrete, ottenendo risultati che fino a pochi anni fa sembravano impossibili.
Although it does not yet dominate global politics, Generation Z is radically changing the way young people engage in public life. From the squares of Sofia to Kathmandu, from Nairobi to Lima, an merging generation is ready to turn frustration and indignation into concrete action, achieving results that seemed impossible just a few years ago.
From town squares to social media, Generation Z is redefining global political participation, transforming outrage, digital creativity and youth mobilisation into concrete actions that influence governments and public decisions.