Unprecedented Political Shift in South Asia: Youth Uprising Against Corruption and Elites
Unprecedented Political Shift in South Asia: Youth Uprising Against Corruption and Elites
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South Asia is on the cusp of a major political transformation, driven by a wave of mass uprisings, particularly among the younger generation, against systemic corruption, economic crises, and the failure of traditional ruling elites.
According to Al Jazeera, a surge of widespread and organized protests across South Asian countries is destabilizing the decades-old political order. The core motivation is public dissatisfaction with corrupt elites, severe economic crises, and a pervasive sense of injustice among the youth.
Nepal: Protests were ignited by the government’s decision to restrict social media access. Public outrage led to the Prime Minister’s resignation in September 2025, with the interim government promising early elections in March 2026.
Bangladesh: Protests started in the summer of 2024 over issues like nepotistic hiring and administrative corruption, evolving into a nationwide movement. The country’s interim government has pledged to hold elections in February 2026.
Sri Lanka: The devastating economic crisis of 2022, marked by fuel shortages, massive inflation, and widespread poverty, led to the collapse of the then-sitting government.
While large-scale street protests were less prevalent in Pakistan and India, recent election results reflected the changing attitudes of the youth:
In Pakistan, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party secured 31% of the vote with strong youth support.
In India, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in ten years.
Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera suggest these uprisings are not the end of instability but the beginning of a new phase of political competition. This stage is characterized by student movements and emergent forces pushing for constitutional reform, greater transparency, and limits on the power of the traditional elite.
