Democracy Needs Gen Z at the Table

2026 started dramatically, with protests unfolding around the world. In Iran, criticism of the regime expanded beyond the failing economy when the students took to the streets, chanting “Student, be the voice of your people.” In Serbia, students sustained what became the country’s largest protest movement since 2024 — likely one of the first enduring Gen-Z protests. Emerging in 2024 and carrying through 2025, these movements are shaping 2026. They have brought down governments in Nepal, Madagascar, Bulgaria and Bangladesh. They have challenged unpopular reforms in Kenya, Morocco and Indonesia. They have exposed government corruption, violations of free speech, attacks on free and fair elections, and political elites who have ignored youth unemployment and the consequences of political exclusion.

Today, 52 percent of the global population is under 30. Gen Z — those born between 1997 and 2012 — make up 20 percent of the world’s population. In Africa, almost 60 percent of the population is under 25. In the Arab region, 60 percent is under 30. Across South and Southeast Asia, roughly one-third of the population is under 25.

Yet this demographic reality is starkly at odds with political representation. While half of the world's population is under 30, only 2.8 percent of Members of Parliament globally fall within that age group. 39 percent of parliaments have no MPs under the age of 30 at all. Even in leading countries, representation remains limited. Norway, Armenia and Ukraine are among the top 10 countries in the world for MPs aged 30 and under, yet they only have 13.6, 13.1 and 7.1 percent respectively. The proportion of young women MPs in parliament has declined. Women under 30 account for just 1.2% of all MPs worldwide.

Protest movements are often powered by diverse young people, yet they rarely translate that energy into seats in national or local parliaments, repeating a vicious cycle of exclusion. We cannot have a conversation about Gen Z without discussing this gap, the fraught relationship between youth and parties, and how to bridge the divide.

If young people are feeling unwelcome, why would they join political parties? The barriers to entry are often too high. For those who do engage, many report feeling tokenized rather than trusted with leadership. Young activists frequently see parties as unresponsive to their priorities. The divide is real — and widening.

Parties, as gatekeepers, control who is nominated to run, access to funding and campaign support, candidate placement on party lists, and ultimately the direction of the party itself. These structures shape who holds power.

At the same time, parties are frustrated with youth movements that concentrate on single issues, while parties must govern across broad agendas. Many Gen-Z led movements are organized horizontally, without traditional leadership structures. This model can foster innovation and participation, but a big tent often needs a pole to succeed. In authoritarian contexts, opposition parties are joining Gen Z protesters in the streets, but are irritated that they cannot build a solid joint bridge to make real change.

There is a mutual opportunity here. 

• For political parties:
  • Create a pipeline for young people to participate in policy development and legislative drafting
  • Co-design solutions using technology
  • Integrate intergenerational justice into party platforms, from student debt reform to housing affordability and "gig economy" protections
  • Strengthen transparency by adopting open data standards for government spending and campaign finance. Invite youth organizers to "audit" or help shape accountability tools. 
• For young people:
  • Create parallel institutions that outlast protest cycles
  • Pivot from rejection to clear policy agendas
  • Leverage digital expertise to organize and advocate for transparency and reform
  • Promote candidates willing to champion youth-driven priorities. 

Movements with high youth participation are more likely to achieve success. But protest alone is not enough. Democracies are strengthened when institutions reflect the full diversity of society. In many countries, Gen Z now represents the largest voting bloc.  Ignoring them is neither democratic nor politically sustainable.

Younger generations will live the longest with the consequences of laws passed today. If their voices are absent from decision-making, policies on important issues will not reflect their realities.

Young people should have the right to run for office once they can vote. The average global minimum age to stand for office is nearly 24, almost six years older than the nearly universal voting age of 18.

Gen Z has already demonstrated its capacity to mobilize, organize and demand accountability. The challenge now is to convert that energy into representation. Parties need to #SpeakYouthToPower and open their doors. In 2026, there is no time for political gatekeeping that excludes the next generation from shaping the future.