Change in the Air?

Change in the Air?

11 October 2025

At the end of a long and exhausting day, I read that in Madagascar, Gen Z has had enough. They’ve pushed the government aside and rejected calls for dialogue. Water and power outages, rising costs, and corruption sparked their anger.

It made me think of Nepal, where Gen Z also rose when the government attempted to restrict internet and social media access. There too, the protests ended not in negotiation but in resignation—the old guard forced to step aside.

And it brings back memories of the Arab Spring, when, in a matter of months, several governments across the Arab world were toppled by waves of youthful protest. The common thread is frustration: a new generation that no longer believes change will come from above.

Now, I can’t help but think of Curaçao. Discontent is growing. Among other things, there are power outages, internet outages, and quality issues. On inflation and pensions. Dialogue stalls. The air feels heavy with impatience. The difference is that here, Gen Z is relatively small, and the Baby Boomers still hold most of the power. Yet the same energy is building beneath the surface—a quiet refusal to accept the status quo, a demand for transparency, fairness, and a voice.

Miguel Goede