New Delhi: Nineteen days. That’s how long it took Nepal’s second people’s movement, the Jan Andolan II, to bring down the monarchy in 2006. Cut to 9 September 2025—Nepal PM K.P. Sharma Oli has resigned after just one and a half days of protests where 19 youth died and 400 people were injured in police firing.
But unlike 2006, when the call was for democracy, the protests now are a volatile mix of youth or Gen Z’s frustration, anti-corruption fury, and a resurgence of monarchist sentiment.
Such was the level of anger that not only were houses of almost all ministers ransacked and set on fire, but even the Parliament was gutted.
After Oli resigned, protesters stormed Nakkhu Jail and freed Rabi Lamichhane, former Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).
With almost the entire government now literally resigned out of power, Nepal finds itself once again at a turning point caught between rage and reform.
The whole movement began as a generational uprising against persistent corruption and nepotism. The final trigger—a government-imposed social media ban blocking Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube. But tensions had been simmering for a long time against the Oli government.
Nepal’s youth took to the streets, furious not only at the censorship but at a broader system they view as corrupt and broken. The ban was imposed just as an online movement targeting political “nepo kids” was gaining traction.
However, the outrage had been building for years. The frustration of the youth, who make up around 40% of the population, and have watched the country cycle through 14 governments in 16 years, with little progress on education, jobs, or infrastructure, finally exploded into violence.
This disenchantment also created fertile ground for new political voices. Some of them are demanding stronger democratic reforms.
One face that has emerged amid all the protests is that of the Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, former rapper and engineer turned politician.
In a post on Facebook, Shah hailed the protests and wrote a message in Nepali: “The country is in your hands, you guys will make it. Now, no matter how much the damage, it will be ours.”
In another message, he said the “Parliament had to be disrupted” in order for discussions to begin with the Nepal Army Chief, General Ashok Raj Sigdel.
“We had said it clearly. This is the movement of Gen Z. Dear Gen Z, your murderer has resigned. Be restrained now!! The loss of the country’s money is the loss of you and our property. You and we need to be restrained now. Now your generation will have to lead the country. Be ready! Also, be ready to discuss with the army chief. But remember, Parliament must be disrupted before discussing,” he wrote.
His anger was directed at Oli. Oli, who came to power in 2024 has been the target of multiple protests and uprisings for the past two years. His rule, often marked with allegations of corruption also led to renewed calls for the return of the monarchy and rise in support for King Gyanendra, the deposed ruler.
But that’s not all. Nepal has been witnessing large scale protests for the past three years over unhappiness with the government’s policies.
Crackdown on dissent and digital freedom
In February 2022, demonstrators opposing a $500 million U.S. grant clashed with riot police and dozens were detained amid fears the deal compromised national sovereignty.
In November 2023, tens of thousands rallied in Kathmandu calling for the return of the monarchy and Hindu statehood.
Digital rights are also under threat. In August 2023, the government approved a controversial National Cyber Security Policy, introducing provisions such as a state-controlled internet gateway. Rights groups warned the move could enable mass surveillance, online censorship, and endanger data privacy, while lacking clear protections for freedom of expression.
Return of the king
In March, thousands marched through central Kathmandu, waving Nepal’s pre-republic flag and calling for the return of former King Gyanendra or his heir. The demonstrations, led by the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and Durga Prasai’s Citizens’ Campaign, followed a raucous welcome for Gyanendra at Kathmandu airport, where tens of thousands chanted, “Come back king, save the country”.
Gyanendra, who became king after the 2001 royal massacre, ruled as an absolute monarch from 2005 after dismissing Deuba’s government before being ousted by mass protests in 2006.
In a Democracy Day address, Gyanendra had earlier in February criticised “exclusionary politics” and warned of a nation “losing its soul”.
Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and former Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal then dismissed the monarchist resurgence, urging Gyanendra to enter politics formally if he wished to contest public support.
Oli’s rise and fall
In July 2024, 72-year-old K.P. Sharma Oli, once seen as friendly to India but now closely aligned with China, was sworn in as Nepal’s PM for a fourth term.
Oli’s return to power followed the collapse of the government led by former Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda, who failed to secure a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives.
In the aftermath, President Paudel, invoking Article 76 (2) of the Constitution—which allows the President to appoint the leader of the party that has a majority in the House of Representatives, or a member who commands the confidence of the majority, as the Prime Minister—invited the CPN-UML and the Nepali Congress to form a new government.
Shortly after the president’s announcement, CPN-UML leader Oli, joined by Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, his new coalition partner, formally staked a claim. He presented the support of 166 lawmakers: 88 from the Nepali Congress and 78 from his own party. With 138 seats required to form a majority in the 275-member House, Oli’s coalition comfortably crossed the threshold and Oli was appointed Prime Minister.
Interestingly, he is the only Nepalese PM to not have visited India in a term. He had earlier officially visited India twice in 2016 and 2018.
Geopolitics and India
Reports from Nepal had suggested he was likely to visit India on 16 September after his visit to China. However it was later cancelled.
Tensions with India also resurfaced last month when, following the reopening of the Lipulekh Pass trade route between India and China via Uttarakhand, Oli reportedly told Chinese President Xi Jinping that the pass lies within Nepali territory, an assertion India firmly rejects, maintaining that Lipulekh is an integral part of its sovereign land. This marked the first time since 2015 that a Nepali leader made such a direct claim in a meeting with the Chinese president.
Geopolitical pressures are also intensifying. Nepal remains caught in the strategic crosshairs of India, China, and the United States. India continues to be Nepal’s largest trade partner, with bilateral trade reaching $8.85 billion in 2023. China has made significant inroads through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), but rising debt has made Kathmandu increasingly cautious. Meanwhile, U.S. engagement, via a $500 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact, has faced political pushback and uncertainty.
Under Oli’s leadership, Nepal also formally signed a framework agreement to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in December 2024, even as the United States continues to invest nearly $500 million in Nepalese infrastructure through the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s (MCC) Nepal Compact.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: Nepal PM Oli resigns amid violent anti-corruption protests by youth & pandemonium on streets
I am a rather skeptic of this movement. First of all I don’t like the word GEN Z revolt cause its rather stupid but leaving that aside if history repeats itself then this just leads Nepal towards more political turmoil and fall of coalition which was repeated after the fall of monarchy. Obviously someone with more knowledge than me can give more information about it but as far as I am concerned it will end up becoming a struggle for power which has usually happened throughout history.
This is the end result of socialism and communism.