If 2024 was the year that unpopular incumbents around the world met their comeuppance at the ballot box, 2025 was when they were removed – or strongly encouraged to leave – by other means.

In Guinea-Bissau and Benin (briefly), it took the form of army generals deciding to seize power. In Nepal – like Bangladesh a year before – it was through people power. When it came to Madagascar, it was a mix of military and the masses combined.

One “face” in the protest crowds of Nepal and Madagascar was also present in demonstrations and marches from Jakarta and Manila to New York and Paris. And if The Conversation did a “Person of the Year,” the nod would likely go to the skeletal figure depicted in the Straw Hat Pirates’ Jolly Roger. As Oklahoma State University democracy scholar Nuurrianti Jalli explained, the flag – originally from the long-running manga series “One Piece” – has fast become the emblem of youth protest and solidarity.

“When protesters adopt this flag, they are not simply importing an aesthetic from popular culture, but are drawing on a narrative already legible to millions,” wrote Jalli. And as you can see from the lead image below, the Jolly Roger of the Straw Hat Pirates starred in one of the photos of the year, taken from the uprising that toppled the Nepalese government.

The year also marked the 50th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge coming to power in Cambodia, which led to one of modern history’s darkest episodes. As a child, Sophal Ear escaped the brutal regime with his mother; his father was less fortunate. Reflecting on the legacy of that period, the Arizona State University academic wrote: “Fifty years on, the Khmer Rouge’s legacy continues to shape Cambodia – politically, socially, economically and emotionally. It’s etched into every Cambodian’s bones – including mine.”

So what will 2026 bring? After the coups and people power movements of 2025, it may be that oustings come from outside. Certainly, Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro is facing substantial pressure in the shape of U.S. gunboats and sanctions. If he doesn’t voluntarily end his rule – and he shows no intention of doing so – it may end up being taken out of his hands.

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