Between September 8 and 13, a Generation Z (Gen Z)-led revolution occurred in Nepal, overthrowing the previous government and instating a temporary prime minister. Protests began after the government ban of multiple social media platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, X and Snapchat under the claim that they assisted in the spread of misinformation. In recent years, the younger Nepali generation grew increasingly tired of the corrupt and ineffective government leaders and decided to end their reign.
Nepal’s parliamentary republic, led by a coalition government composed of politicians, flaunts its lavish lifestyles while the majority of the Nepalese people struggle with poverty, starvation and poor infrastructure. The government frequently failed to address serious issues, such as youth unemployment, inadequate social services and the overuse of unilateral executive orders. Since the abolishment of the previous Nepali monarchy in 2008, the Nepalese people have experienced 14 different governments, each falling apart in under five years.
With high rates of unemployment across the country, the majority of Nepalese citizens rely on friend and family remittances from outside countries; however, with the impending social media ban, the ability to access funds would prove increasingly difficult. The lack of job opportunities, economic support, and government accountability caused the number of young Nepalese workers and students migrating to other countries to increase drastically, with a 14.46% spike in six months. Floods, landslides and other natural disasters in late 2024 significantly damaged the economy and highlighted the government’s shortcomings. Lastly, the tourism rates in Nepal have significantly dropped in recent years, leading to economic hardship and decreased international interaction.
“One thing when we look over the Nepal revolution [is that] it looks like a certain generation participated in the revolutions, as opposed to in the past, where a large part of society typically took part in the revolutions. For this, it seems like the younger citizens feel tired of certain things going on throughout different time periods such as corruption, how government officials, especially, are paid and the mismanagement of funds. Maybe this opens the eyes of future generations about the power they may have in terms of protesting,” Advanced Placement (AP) World History teacher John Mitchell said.
The protests began with an online activist group, known as Hami Nepal or “We are Nepal,” run through the online communication platform Discord. Hami Nepal organized a protest with the gathering of thousands of Nepalese citizens, typically those who belonged to Gen Z. Although the protest began peacefully, it turned violent after a group of protesters breached a security blockade near the federal parliament building. The Nepalese government security forces reacted with lethal force to suppress the crowd using tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets and later live ammunition. Throughout the duration of the protests, over 70 people died, with over 2,000 people injured.
The ensuing outrage from the brutality of the killings and the response of the Nepalese government led to increased violence from the protesters. They set fire to the government buildings of the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, and the homes of the Nepalese elite and political leaders faced similar attacks. Overwhelmed by the surprising amount of retaliation and pressure from his young citizens, the Nepalese prime minister, K P Sharma Oli, resigned from office September 9, one day after the initial protests. The Nepalese army also deployed to enforce a national curfew and restore relative peace. With a power vacuum to fill, the protest leaders organized a poll on Discord, asking citizens to vote for the temporary prime minister they wanted to elect. September 12, the nation decided that Sushila Karki, Nepal’s first female prime minister, would assume the role as their interim leader. Upon her election, Karki dissolved the previous parliament and set a date for a formal election March 5, 2026.
“I think [the Nepal revolution] will decrease tolerance for the horrific things governments do, so we can improve as a generation instead of just standing by. I think the political impact of the younger generation will begin to increase. [This is] because we’re becoming adults and becoming parts of the workforce, we will start to have more political influence through things like voting,” sophomore Sara Dejarnnette said.
The 2025 Nepali revolution serves as the first example of Gen Z’s intolerance for political corruption and inaction. These protests highlight the willingness of young generations to intervene in political affairs when necessary and will help to inspire young minorities across the world. The revolt also marked one of the first successful uses of online platforms to organize and amplify political uprisings and demonstrated a new form of resisting authoritarian control and media suppression. While a Discord-elected prime minister seems questionable, the impact of this revolution and the effects it will create on future generations remains undeniable.
