Why is Gen Z revolting?

From France to India, young people are taking to the streets over growing inequality, failing public services and bleak prospects for the future.Senior Lecturer in International Public and Social Policy at the University of Bristol.Published On 23 Oct 202623 Oct 2026We are currently experiencing a wave of protests across Europe and beyond. Many have been dubbed “Gen Z protests”, with young people aged roughly 13 to 29 leading demonstrations over issues that particularly affect their generation.In France, protests started several weeks ago over deteriorating conditions in severely underfunded schools. They have been growing in strength, with between half a million and 800,000 protesters reportedly taking part in them across the country last weekend.In India, the Cockroach movement has emerged as the strongest challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s increasingly authoritarian leadership. Last week, its leader was arrested as anger grew over the removal of more than 130 million names from electoral rolls.In Spain, anger has arisen over a broken housing system and laws that fail to protect households against eviction. First there was the forcible eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen ...