On the streets of Kathmandu, the air still hangs heavy with smoke and uncertainty. In a matter of days, Nepal has been engulfed by one of the most dramatic political crises in its modern history—a youth-led uprising that has toppled the government, left dozens dead, and thrust a new generation into the center of the nation’s future. The events of early September 2025 have not only shaken the Himalayan republic but have also drawn the world’s attention to the power of youth movements and the fragility of political systems in South Asia.
The spark that ignited this inferno was, perhaps fittingly, digital. On September 3, the government imposed a sweeping ban on 26 social media platforms, citing the need to control fake news and ensure companies registered locally. But for Nepal’s Generation Z—those born between 1997 and 2012, now making up about 40% of the country’s 30 million people—this was not just a bureaucratic move. It felt like censorship, a clampdown on the one space where their voices could be heard above the din of entrenched political interests. According to Al Jazeera, hashtags like #Nepobaby had already been trending on TikTok, reflecting widespread frustration with corruption, nepotism, and the lavish lifestyles of political elites compared to the daily struggles of ordinary youth.
The government’s attempt to justify the ban as a measure against misinformation did little to quell the anger. Instead, frustration spread rapidly online, then spilled into the streets. On Monday, September 8, tens of thousands of young people poured into Kathmandu and other cities, demanding an end to corruption, nepotism, and the restrictions on their digital lives. What began as peaceful protest quickly escalated. Security forces responded with live bullets, tear gas, and water cannons. Within hours, at least 19 people were dead, and hundreds more injured. By the next day, the death toll had climbed to 30, and the unrest showed no sign of abating.
As The Guardian and BBC reported, the protests soon took on a life of their own. Enraged demonstrators stormed and set fire to parliament, the Supreme Court, and multiple government offices, including the iconic Singha Durbar administrative complex. The homes of political leaders were attacked, police stations overrun, and even the Ministry of Health and Population was destroyed. Media outlets and schools were not spared, and the National Health Emergency Operation Centre was left in ruins. At Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport, flights were suspended as chaos threatened to spill beyond the city’s borders.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who had only days earlier mocked the youth protesters for their demands, found himself at the epicenter of a political firestorm. As the violence intensified and members of his cabinet resigned under mounting pressure, Oli was forced to step down on September 9. In his wake, Nepal was left leaderless, its parliament torched, and its political future uncertain. The army assumed control of nationwide security, deploying troops across the Kathmandu Valley and imposing strict movement restrictions. Checkpoints sprang up overnight, and residents were urged to stay home unless travel was essential.
According to Al Jazeera, the death toll from the clashes and subsequent fires reached 31 by Wednesday, September 10. Hospitals reported critically injured patients, and the turmoil triggered jailbreaks in several locations, with some inmates still at large. The army managed to recover some of the weapons looted from police, and—perhaps most remarkably—youth groups themselves helped apprehend escaped prisoners and return stolen firearms. Amid the chaos, some young protesters were seen clearing debris from their neighborhoods, a testament to their determination to rebuild even as they dismantled the old order.
Behind the immediate drama, deeper currents were at work. Nepal’s modern political history is punctuated by cycles of student movements, revolutions, and periods of authoritarian rule. The country’s first mass uprising in 1990, known as "Jana Andolan I," and the second in 2006, "Jana Andolan II," both called for sweeping political reforms. Yet, as The Conversation notes, the promises of those revolutions have largely gone unfulfilled. Despite the abolition of the monarchy in 2008 and the adoption of a federal constitution in 2015, Nepal has witnessed 14 governments in just 15 years, with corruption, elitism, and nepotism remaining stubbornly persistent. Unemployment rates, especially among young people, have soared above 20%.
For many Gen Z activists, the current crisis is about more than a social media ban or even the latest government scandal. It’s about a broken system that has failed to deliver on decades of promises. As investigative journalist Rajneesh Bhandari told Al Jazeera, “This shows that the Nepalese youth held resentment against the rulers who did not pay heed to their demands, or communicated with them, and continued to act in an arrogant manner.” Civil and digital rights activist Ashirwad Tripathy echoed this sentiment, describing the protests as the culmination of “long-simmering discontent and dissatisfaction against the older generation of the three main political parties, who only played musical chairs with the prime minister’s seat.”
The world has been watching. UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his deep sadness at the loss of life and called for restraint, dialogue, and a thorough investigation into the violence. “Protests must take place in a peaceful manner, respecting life and property,” he urged on social media. Yet, as history has shown, Nepal’s crises rarely remain contained within its borders. The country’s strategic location—sandwiched between India and China—means that every political tremor in Kathmandu is felt across the region. Oli’s perceived tilt toward Beijing had already raised eyebrows in New Delhi, and his ouster has prompted speculation about a potential recalibration of influence in Nepal’s foreign relations.
As the dust settles, attention has turned to what comes next. Talks are reportedly underway to form an interim government, with the possibility of dissolving parliament and investigating illegally acquired assets. In a remarkable twist, the army chief is now coordinating with Gen Z activists to set up a civilian-led interim government and prepare for fresh elections. According to The Conversation, the youth protesters have proposed former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as a potential leader for this interim administration. Yet, challenges abound: the youth movement remains a loose, leaderless network, and Nepal’s key institutions are still dominated by older elites who may resist real change.
Nepal’s current turmoil echoes youth-led movements in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia, where frustration with corruption and inequality has repeatedly forced political change. But whether Nepal’s Gen Z can translate their protest power into lasting reform remains to be seen. As one longtime human rights activist in Kathmandu told Al Jazeera, “regardless of the identity of the new leader, both India and China will seek stability and a government that respects their interests.”
For now, Nepal stands at a crossroads. The streets are quieter, the smoke is beginning to clear, but the questions that drove tens of thousands of young people to risk everything remain urgent. The world is watching to see whether this historic uprising will finally deliver the change that so many Nepalis have longed for—or whether the cycle of instability will begin anew.