Remember protests in Kyrgyzstan? They came about quickly, were marked by violence from nearly the beginning, and managed to oust an entrenched and corrupt leadership. A year later, young people (over half of the population is under 25) are struggling to have a voice in the new political system. As Eurasia Net writes,
«Youth groups are having difficulties finding a niche and appear increasingly open to manipulation by their political elders…
Critics who dismiss such ideas hope that the opening of Kyrgyzstan’s first youth parliament will provide the space for young people to discuss pressing issues and slowly introduce change to the country’s aging leadership. Opened on June 20, the experimental body — which gives young people the chance to suggest legislation — will operate for five months and pass proposals to the grown-up version via the newly created Ministry of Youth Affairs.
With so many other revolutions occuring now in the world, all of which are in some way connected to a global youth bulge, could lessons from Kyrgyzstan’s attempts to incorporate its massive population of rebellious youth into the political process prove instructive?
via Whatever Happened to the Kyrgyzstani Revolution? | Movements.org.