Why are Gen-Z so pissed off?

The Discourse with Zoe Grunewald

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Wednesday, 4 November 2026 - 55 minutes

In the first episode of The Discourse, Zoë Grünewald is joined by journalist and Good Bad Billionaire host Zing Tsjeng and The Critic's Deputy Online Editor Tom Jones to unpack the political stories setting the internet on fire. First. With Gen Z protests sweeping across Europe, the panel asks why young people are so angry and whether governments have failed an entire generation. From rising house prices and stagnant wages to youth unemployment and the influence of social media, they discuss what's driving growing disillusionment with politics, why British students haven't taken to the streets in the same numbers and whether protesting can really bring about change.The panel also reacts to the Democrats' sweeping victories in the US midterm elections, what losing control of Congress means for Donald Trump and whether his presidency could face further challenges. They also unpack Prime Minister Andy Burnham's proposed apology for Britain's role in the transatlantic slave trade, the question of financial reparations and whether Britain should be held accountable for its past.Finally, Zoë speaks to Serbian student activist Relja Jarkovački about the extraordinary student-led movement, The Student List, that helped bring down the country's long-standing ruling party. He shares how protests sparked by a deadly railway station disaster grew into a nationwide movement, what their historic election victory means for Serbia and whether young people elsewhere can achieve the same political change.Guests: Zing Tsjeng, Journalist and Host of the Good Bad Billionaire Podcast. You can find her on instagram @miss_zingTom Jones, Deputy Online Editor of The Critic. You can find him on Instagram @93_vintage_jonesRelja Jarkovački, law student at the University of Belgrade and a prominent figure in Serbian student movements @_jarkovacki Presenter: Zoë Grünewald - You can find her on Instagram @zoeagrunewaldProducer: Monica Lillis

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