From restrictions on social media to violent Gen Z-led protests that brought down KP Oli’s government to social media platforms helping youth elect an interim leader in the run up to general elections, Nepal witnessed dramatic scenes in its political circuit in 2025. As nearly 19 million eligible voters finally cast their ballots on Thursday to choose their next Prime Minister and government, let’s take a look at the journey that has taken the country to date.
Six months after anti-corruption protests that left at least 77 people dead, elections were held for the 275-member Nepal Parliament and 60 percent turnout was recorded, according to preliminary estimates shared by Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari.
While the toppling of Oli’s regime paved the way for a new, optimistic government, it also left its mark on the world. Revolutionary power of social media. The then Prime Minister ordered the ban social media platformAnd they were pushed out because of those platforms.
Protests have begun due to the ban on social media
Humanitarian and activist group Hami Nepal called for the first ‘Gen Z’ protest on 8 September, four days after the Nepalese government banned social media. The group introduced its Discord server As a center of organization and communication for the Gen Z movement.
Citizens spread the word through social media and on 8 September thousands of youth gathered at Maitighar Mandla in central Kathmandu. However, the peaceful protest quickly turned into chaos, with protesters marching towards government buildings and clashing with security forces.
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Violent protests led to police forces opening fire, killing at least 20 people and injuring several. Curfew was imposed across Kathmandu amid rising tension.
As injured protesters were taken to hospitals, the main face of Hami Nepal, Sudan Gurung, took to social media to address the chaos and present the protesters’ side. Prime Minister KP Oli Called an immediate meeting of his Cabinet and the National Security Council. Immediately after the meeting, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned from his post.
As the death toll from violence increased, anger among the Gen Z movement also grew. On 9 September, the protests became widespread and spread across Nepal. The protesters attacked government buildings and set them on fire. The residences of several ministers and prominent political leaders were also attacked, with the houses of former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and current head of state KP Oli being set on fire by protesters.
Nepal’s 2025 Gen Z protests: timeline at a glance
Gen Z protests oust Nepal PM KP Oli
The angry mob also attacked five-time Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife, with visuals emerging showing both of them bleeding after being beaten by protesters. Meanwhile, another group of violent agitators set fire to the house of former Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal, leaving his wife Rajyalakshmi Chitrakar trapped inside the residence. The painter reportedly suffered severe burn injuries and eventually died in hospital.
Although the protests were triggered by restrictions on social media, they were further fueled by frustration at the government, according to the World Bank, as unemployment in Nepal was nearly 10 percent, and per capita gross domestic product (GDP) was only $1,447 (over 2 lakh in Nepali rupees at the time).
Ultimately, on the same day, KP Oli was forced to resign from the post of Prime Minister.
Gen Z The movement succeeded in removing the Prime Minister, but the movement continued. Federal buildings including the Nepalese Parliament, Singha Durbar and the Supreme Court were set on fire as protesters became angry over rampant corruption in the nation.
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The increasing violence forced Nepal Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel to break his silence. He issued a video statement urging protesters to exercise restraint and “put the motherland first.” He called for an end to violence, asked the youth to ensure prevention of further harm and requested their assistance in maintaining peace in Nepal.
Later that night, army personnel were deployed across the country to enforce the curfew and restore order.
Ultimately the protests ended on 10 September. As the dust settled from the movement, the damage to Nepal and its infrastructure became apparent. The youth, including students, volunteers and workers, picked up brooms and shovels and set out to clean their country. They picked up garbage, cleaned broken glass from the streets, scraped up burnt wood and moved burnt furniture off the streets.
With some degree of peace restored in the country, Army Chief Sigdel spoke to President Ram Chandra Paudel and invited the Gen Z group for talks.
From discussions to polls: everything through Discord servers
Soon after, Hami Nepal announced on social media that the administration, or at least what was left of it, and President Ram Chandra Paudel had invited Gen Z for talks.
The united youth of the country discussed their demands for hours on the Hami Nepal Discord server. The group came up with four key demands: dissolution of Parliament, an interim leader of the Gen Z movement’s choice, new general elections within six months, and a comprehensive investigation into the killings of protesters.
After this the rarest incident happened. The Gen Z movement decided to elect the interim leader of Nepal on Discord through an online poll. In this, former Chief Justice of the country Sushila Karki got the maximum votes and emerged as the choice of the youth.
As Karki’s popularity among Gen Z came to light, rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, popularly known as Balen, expressed support for the former chief justice. Soon after, Hami Nepal’s Sudan Gurung said on social media that the Gen Z movement wants Balen to become its next prime minister after the general elections. He said he wanted Balen not for six months, but for a full five years – the full tenure of the Prime Minister’s Office.
According to Himal, amid all these developments, speculations about President Paudel’s disappearance were rife on social media. The rumors were later dismissed as Paudel issued a statement saying that he was working on a solution to restore peace and democracy in Nepal.
Gen Z’s choice, Sushila Karki, was called by the President for discussions, which lasted late into the night and into the morning of 12 September. To ensure that the demands of Gen Z were met and a decision was taken on the interim Prime Minister, Sudan Gurung monitored the Office of the President Sheetal Niwas.
Subsequently, the interim leadership of Sushila Karki was finalised. He was sworn in as the interim Prime Minister in the President’s Office. The Gen Z movement celebrated on social media after their victory, saying, “We did it.”
The nationwide curfew was eventually lifted on 13 September, as Nepal began a slow and steady return to normality.
In the following days, the demands of the Gen Z movement were met one by one, including the dissolution of Parliament and the announcement of the general election schedule. Nepal’s Election Commission said voting for the 275-member House of Representatives will be held on March 5, 2026.
CEC Ram Prasad Bhandari said that under the direct voting system the results will be declared within 24 hours of all ballot boxes being collected, while under the proportional voting system it may take a day or two, news agency PTI reported.
The Gen Z movement in Nepal continues today on social media, while the country is going through elections and will soon get its next government.
Why social media redefined Nepal’s political landscape?
The 2025 Gen Z protest was no ordinary protest. From organization to awareness of ongoing developments, almost everything was done through fully encrypted messaging platforms and social media servers like Discord.
according to a 2023 study Published in the International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews, social media has emerged as a powerful tool for political mobilisation, providing a platform for individuals and groups to “support political change and organize themselves”.
“Young people and marginalized communities, who have been particularly excluded from mainstream political discourse, are particularly mobilized by social media,” the study said.
Noting that some governments may take extreme steps to negate the negative impact of social media on political discussion, including banning, the study said such censorship “may also have a negative impact on free speech and democratic governance”.
Highlighting the positive effects of social media, the study states that these platforms promote tolerance towards different views and help increase understanding, contributing to an informed and inclusive society.
It states, “With the ability to share information and engage in political discussions on social media platforms, citizens are better equipped to participate in political decision making, hold elected officials accountable, and advocate for policies that reflect their interests and values.” This directly reflects how the Gen Z rebellion in Nepal redefined the political landscape of the country with the help of social media.
Although it notes the bright side of social media, the study also underlines that negative impacts such as the spread of misinformation and propaganda cannot be ignored in order to increase participation in political discourse.
Social media has its own positive and negative aspects, and it poses significant challenges such as the spread of fake news, manipulation of public opinion, lack of regulation, and privacy violations.
The study states that regulation, accountability and transparency in the use of social media in global politics are among the measures that can address and resolve these challenges on a large scale.
Social media has the power to significantly influence global politics, even though it is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon. This provides a wealth of opportunities that can have a significant impact on political discourse.
(with inputs from agencies)
