In recent months, a wave of youth-led uprisings has swept across continents, shaking the foundations of entrenched political systems and sending shockwaves through ruling elites from Kathmandu to Antananarivo. At the heart of this global movement stands Nepal, where in September 2025, Generation Z protesters—armed with smartphones, digital savvy, and a deep sense of frustration—took to the streets to demand accountability, an end to elite impunity, and a more just and equitable future. The reverberations of their actions have not only transformed Nepal’s political landscape but have also inspired similar movements far beyond its borders.
According to The Kathmandu Post, the roots of Nepal’s upheaval stretch back to the 2007 Madhesh movement, which paved the way for the country’s federal system and progressive constitutional arrangements. That hard-won federalism was enshrined in the interim constitution of 2007 and later in the 2015 constitution. Yet, as the dust settled from last month’s Gen Z movement—an uprising against rampant corruption and political stagnation—Madhesh-based parties began to fear that the very federal system they fought for could now be under threat.
The Gen Z protests, initially triggered by outrage over a government social media ban and a string of corruption scandals, quickly escalated into a nationwide outcry. As East Asia Forum reports, what began as peaceful demonstrations on September 8, 2025, soon spiraled into chaos as state security forces responded with water cannons, tear gas, rubber bullets, and ultimately, live rounds. By the end of that harrowing day, 19 people—including schoolchildren—had lost their lives, and over 200 were injured. The toll would later rise to more than 70 as others succumbed to their wounds.
The government’s heavy-handed response only intensified public anger. Research cited by East Asia Forum suggests that such repression often backfires, broadening participation, intensifying defiance, and eroding regime legitimacy. The events in Kathmandu proved no exception. By September 9, Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli had resigned, and three days later, former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki was sworn in as interim prime minister, promising to oversee free and fair elections scheduled for March 5, 2026.
But beneath the surface of this apparent victory, new anxieties brewed. Some Gen Z groups began to question the suitability of Nepal’s current constitution and federal model, raising alarms among Madhesh-based political parties. As Chandra Kishore, a political analyst, told The Kathmandu Post, “Gen Z is a generation whose efforts have shaken the nation, but if that tremor begins to undermine past achievements, it could ultimately prove counterproductive for Gen Z themselves.”
In response, the Federal Democratic Front—a coalition of Madhesh-based parties including the Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal, Loktantrik Samajbadi Party Nepal, Rastriya Mukti Party Nepal, Janata Pragatisheel Party, Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party, and Nagarik Unmukti Party—accelerated efforts to unify. “As signs of an attack on federalism start to, we have made efforts to accelerate the process of party unification,” said Rastriya Mukti Party General Secretary Keshav Jha. Their goal: to safeguard the federal system and prevent backsliding on hard-fought gains.
Not all Gen Z activists, however, share the same vision. Monika Niraula, representing the Gen Z Movement Alliance, emphasized, “Our alliance has never been in favour of scrapping the constitution, federalism, or secularism—these are non-negotiable issues for us.” Yet she acknowledged that within the diverse Gen Z movement, some members have called for constitutional amendments and even reconsidering federalism. The group led by Miraj Dhungana, which recently announced plans to form a political party, has openly stated its desire to reassess the federal system. “When it is evident that federalism has not been functioning effectively, we want to reassess the system,” said Avinash Kunwar, a member of the Dhungana faction.
The backdrop to these debates is a long history of corruption dominating Nepali politics. Scandals—from the 2001 Lauda Air lease case to the 2023 Bhutanese refugee scam—have eroded public trust and fueled generational anger. The immediate spark for the September uprising was the government’s directive requiring social media companies to register under strict regulations, a move widely seen as an attempt to stifle dissent. Videos tagged ‘#nepokids’—exposing the lavish lifestyles of political families—fanned the flames, as did allegations of elite children leveraging family connections for personal gain.
As East Asia Forum observes, Nepal’s Gen Z protesters drew on years of pent-up frustration and channeled it through digital platforms, rallying under banners like ‘Youths Against Corruption’ and ‘#WakeUpNepal’. Their idealism and organizational prowess proved decisive, forcing a reckoning with the country’s ruling class and ushering in a period of democratic renewal. Interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki has since pledged to reform and strengthen democratic institutions, restore public trust, and ensure that dissent can be voiced peacefully—so that future frustrations do not again boil over into violence.
The impact of Nepal’s Gen Z movement has not gone unnoticed abroad. According to CNN, the so-called “Nepal effect” has sent jitters through ruling circles in Africa, where youth-led protests have recently erupted in countries like Madagascar, Kenya, and Morocco. In Madagascar, President Andry Rajoelina was forced to flee after military-backed youth protests toppled his regime in October 2025—a scenario reminiscent of Nepal’s upheaval just weeks earlier. Swikani Ncube, a lecturer at the University of Johannesburg, explained, “Where these (protests) had died down, the perceived successes of the youth in Madagascar may serve as a reference point for those who were either losing steam or simply second-guessing their intentions to embark on sustained protests.”
Similar Gen Z-led uprisings have shaken Bangladesh (2024) and Sri Lanka (2022), with each movement fueled by outrage over corruption, economic hardship, and government repression. African leaders, from Cameroon’s Paul Biya to Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni and Kenya’s William Ruto, now face growing challenges from impatient, assertive, and digitally connected youth populations. “The Gen Z are an impatient and assertive generation. And the rise of technology makes it easier for them to mobilize,” said Kingsley Moghalu, a Nigerian public policy expert, to CNN.
While the specific demands of young protesters vary from country to country, their willingness to vent frustration and take action—rather than bottling it up—signals a new era of political engagement. In Nepal, the interim government’s challenge is to channel this energy into lasting institutional reform, while protecting the democratic gains achieved through years of struggle. For other nations watching closely, the lesson is clear: ignore the voices of youth at your peril, for their digital networks and collective resolve can shake even the most entrenched regimes.
As Nepal prepares for its next election and the world watches the Gen Z wave ripple outward, the stakes—both for democracy and for the future of governance—have rarely been higher.
