Could the Gulf war’s economic shock spark another round of protests among Asia’s Gen Z?

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Asia’s Gen Z is facing a summer of discontent. Already grappling with bleak job prospects and lacklustre growth, it is now being stung by the shock from the Iran war, which is driving up prices of everything from fuel to food. The immediate impact is economic, but there is a growing risk of political instability.

This crisis is hitting a generation already frustrated with inequality and endemic corruption, and increasingly willing to push back. Governments will have to stretch their budgets further to prevent young people from falling behind—or confront a renewed wave of unrest.Last year’s Gen Z-led demonstrations against graft and elite privilege are a warning that anger can spill onto the streets with devastating results. It’s a scenario that could now intensify as the Iran war ripples through economies that are heavily exposed to energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

There are visible signs of turmoil. In the Philippines, which imports almost all of its crude from West Asia, rising fuel bills prompted an energy emergency soon after the war began. Transport workers launched nationwide strikes, demanding more assistance from their leaders.

In India’s industrial hub of Noida, near New Delhi, people took to the streets over low pay and poor conditions made worse by surging living expenses—driven in part by cooking gas shortages. And in Pakistan, widespread rallies against sharp hikes in petrol were a reminder of how economic strain can morph into backlash.Young workers are especially vulnerable. Even before the war, the World Bank had warned of mounting unemployment among the region’s youth.