After anti-corruption protests were inflamed by police violence and the deaths of over 70 people, Nepali protestors burned down the homes and official buildings of political leaders. The leaders of the protestors took to the social media platform Discord, and installed the country’s first female Prime Minister, former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki.
The impoverished nation of Nepal has struggled due to decades of corruption and economic crisis. These issues had been simmering for a long time, but what caused the flip into widespread activism by protestors was the Nepali government blocking several social media platforms, including X, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and WhatsApp.
While the social media ban was the straw to break the camel’s back, organizers and leaders of the protest were fighting not just for Nepali speech, but for improved quality of life.
The economy in Nepal is struggling, with the World Bank reporting 20% of Nepali people aged 15-24 being unemployed. Beyond that, 33% of Nepal’s economy relies on remittances sent to Nepal by Nepalis who live abroad. This trend has only increased over the decades.
The anger brought on by economic hardship was further stirred due to the trend in Nepal to call out “Nepo kids”: the children of politicians who showed off glamorous lifestyles online, showing a clear distinction between the regular Nepali and the relatives of those in power.
With Nepalis calling out politicians’ children online, the ban on social media was seen as an attempt to silence the people, which led to wide protests among the youth. Within the first day of protests, there were clashes with police, where at least 19 people were killed, and hundreds hospitalized. The deaths of those 19 protestors, mostly youth, were the turning point for the protest.
The protests would not calm, and escalations continued with further clashes against police and the burning of official buildings and homes. The outcry from the Nepali people led to mass resignations of Nepal’s government officials, including the former Prime Minister, K.P. Sharma Oil, who resigned on Sept. 9, 2025.
Following the resignation of the former Prime Minister, Nepali youth used the online platform, Discord to organize discussions on what would come next. They created a channel called “Youths Against Corruption,” and held a real election with debates from thousands of individuals. Over 7,500 people voted on the platform and ultimately elected former Chief Justice Sushila Karki to be their nominee for interim prime minister.
Sushila Karki was appointed to be the first-ever female prime minister of Nepal on Sept. 12, 2025. Prime Minister Karki was chosen by Nepali youth due to her time as a former Chief Justice, and the first female to be appointed. She notably fought against corruption in her time there. As the Chief Justice, Karki faced attempted suspension and impeachment by the Government in 2017, when she eventually retired.
As the interim Prime Minister, Karki will work for six months before returning the reins of government over to Parliament and the Ministers. She has started appointing her Ministers and will work alongside Gen-Z to create change and build the foundation for a better government.
