Across continents, a familiar figure has returned to the streets. In Nepal, young protesters brought down the government after years of corruption and stagnation. In Morocco, the leaderless collective “Gen Z 212” filled city squares with chants against state extravagance and everyday neglect. In Madagascar, students and unemployed workers facing water shortages and rolling blackouts forced the president to dissolve his cabinet. The world’s media quickly offered a tidy headline: Gen Z is rising.