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, weekslong, 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. Nepal's youth demand justice after deadly student protests