Amaya Lilles

Written by Amaya Lilles, MSc Development Management, Applied Development Economics The protests that erupted across Iran in late December 2025 were rooted in economic collapse   ①—decades of inflation, a currency in sustained freefall, and the cumulative weight of international sanctions had eroded living standards  ② to a breaking point. What may be less obvious is why a specific policy reform served as the immediate trigger, and why the merchant class at Tehran's Grand Bazaar  ③,...

Written by Amaya Lilles, MSc Development Management, Applied Development Economics.   Across the Asia-Pacific, a pattern of political upheaval emerges where digital connectivity and endemic corruption converge. In September, Nepal's government collapsed within days after its attempt to ban 26 social media platforms, an effort to silence criticism of government misconduct. The crackdown escalated dramatically: security forces killed 74 demonstrators ① , transforming digital protests into a...