Youth Activism Matures: From Streets to Institutional Capture

A profound global shift is underway as Gen Z transitions from protest-based movements to a strategic pursuit of institutional power, driven by a systemic rejection of entrenched inequality and elite impunity. With 36% of young people expressing intent to run for office and 48% identifying deepening inequality as the defining economic trend, this cohort is reshaping democracy in real time, moving from external advocacy to internal governance.