Nepal, the young democracy that stepped out of monarchy only 17 years ago, is once again at a crossroads. Thousands of protesters, most of them Gen Z, have stormed the streets of Kathmandu, attacking Parliament, the Presidential Palace, Singha Durbar, the Supreme Court, and other government offices.
But why is this happening? To understand Nepal’s present crisis, we need to look at the chain of events that led here.
A Timeline of Nepal’s Crisis
March 2024: Reports emerged that seven Nepali citizens had been killed while fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war. More than 15,000 Nepalis had taken up jobs as soldiers at the border, lured by salaries of around $2,000 per month.
March 2025: A year later, protesters in Kathmandu raised the slogan “Narayanhiti khali gar, hamro raja aaudai chhan”, “Vacate the palace, our King is coming.” This demand for the return of monarchy and for a Hindu nation reflected growing disillusionment with Nepal’s fragile democracy.
September 2025: The government banned 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The move, framed as an attempt to regulate tech companies, instead became the spark that ignited a full-blown rebellion.
The Fragility of Nepali Democracy
Nepal transitioned from 250 years of monarchy to democracy only 17 years ago. The constitution is not even a decade old. Yet in this short span, Nepal has already seen 13 governments and 8 prime ministers.
Since 2015, power has rotated mainly between KP Sharma Oli (CPN-UML), Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” (CPN-Maoist Centre), and Sher Bahadur Deuba (Nepali Congress).
This instability has left a democracy still in its infancy struggling to establish credibility. The current protests show that the discontent has reached a tipping point.
Why Gen Z Is Leading the Revolt
Out of Nepal’s 30 million population, around 15 million people are on social media. Nearly 20 percent of them are Gen Z. The backlash started online under the hashtag #NepoKid, targeting political families for corruption and privilege.
But when the government imposed a blanket social media ban, it struck at the heart of both free expression and employment.
According to Nepal Rastra Bank, Nepalis earned over NPR 3.53 billion in 2024–25 by creating content on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and other platforms. With content creation becoming a major source of livelihood, especially for young people, the ban was seen as an attack not just on speech but also on jobs.
The Weight of Corruption
Corruption has been another major trigger. Transparency International ranks Nepal 108th out of 180 countries. Over the last decade, the country has been rocked by one scam after another, ranging from land grabs to inflated aircraft deals, dodgy tax settlements, and even procurement scandals during the Covid-19 crisis.
The amounts involved run into billions, and the list of those implicated includes former prime ministers, ministers, and top bureaucrats. One case even sent former Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane to jail, he is now back in circulation as a prime ministerial contender.
Unemployment and Migration
Nepal’s unemployment rate stands at 11.4%, but youth unemployment is much higher. With limited opportunities, nearly 4 million Nepalis work abroad. This desperation has even pushed thousands to take dangerous jobs on the Russia-Ukraine frontline.
For a country with such deep-rooted corruption and lack of jobs, the social media ban wasn’t just about internet platforms, it became the final straw for a restless generation.
However, Nepal’s Gen-Z protesters have now chosen Sushila Karki as the country’s interim Prime Minister, the first woman PM in Nepal’s history. The condition, however, is that elections must be held within six months to a year. Sushila Karki has also served as the first female Chief Justice of Nepal’s Supreme Court. She has long been known for her tough stance against corruption, which is perhaps why a corruption-hit Nepal now sees a ray of hope in her leadership.