SNS Turns the Country Upside Down... Why Nepal's Generation Z Took to the Streets

Violent Protests Spread... Prime Minister Ultimately Resigns
Political Instability Since the Collapse of the Monarchy in 2008
Mounting Discontent Amid Natural Disasters and Economic Hardship

On the 9th (local time), protesters in Nepal set fire to Singha Durbar, the government office in the capital city of Kathmandu. In Nepal, large-scale protests erupted on the 5th, mainly led by young people who were outraged by the government's social network service (SNS) blockade measures. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Political instability is intensifying in Nepal as anti-government protests spiral out of control, leading to the resignation of Prime Minister Sharma Oli. While the protests were sparked by the government's blockade of social networking services (SNS), it is believed that public outrage has boiled over due to a combination of political confusion, a series of natural disasters such as earthquakes, and worsening economic hardship.

Anti-Government Protests Escalate in Nepal... SNS Blockade Ignites Generation Z

On the 9th (local time) in Kathmandu, Nepal, protesters are cheering the announcement of Prime Minister Sharma Oli's resignation and the lifting of social media restrictions. Photo by AP Yonhap News

According to the Associated Press, on September 9 (local time), the Nepalese government lifted its SNS blockade measures amid the intensifying anti-government protests, and Prime Minister Oli announced his resignation. The authorities met the protesters' demands after the unrest spiraled out of control, with a harsh police crackdown resulting in 19 deaths and over 400 injuries.

The anti-government protests in Nepal began peacefully, but after the police crackdown led to bloodshed, the demonstrations turned violent, with protesters setting fire to the Singha Durbar government office and attacking politicians' homes. In one incident, the wife of former Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal was unable to escape her home, which was set ablaze by protesters, and lost her life.

The immediate trigger for these protests was the Nepalese government's SNS blockade. Starting on September 5, the government completely blocked access to 26 unregistered social networking services, including YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Young people, viewing the SNS blockade as excessive censorship, channeled their grievances against the political establishment into large-scale anti-government protests.

13 Prime Ministers Replaced Since the Collapse of the Monarchy in 2008... Natural Disasters and Economic Hardship Compound the Crisis

On the 9th (local time), Sharma Oli, the Prime Minister of Nepal who resigned amid the spread of anti-government protests. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Although the SNS blockade was the spark, many analysts believe the real reason for the explosive anger among Nepal’s younger generation is the economic crisis. According to CNN, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15 to 24 in Nepal exceeds 20%. The World Bank reports that Nepal's per capita gross domestic product (GDP) is only $1,447, the lowest among South Asian countries. The economic difficulties are so severe that remittances from migrant workers account for more than 25% of Nepal’s total GDP.

The worsening economic crisis in Nepal is primarily attributed to ongoing political instability since the collapse of the monarchy, as well as repeated natural disasters. Nepal adopted a constitutional monarchy in 1990, but a civil war broke out in 1996, led by the Communist Party of Nepal demanding an end to the monarchy. The civil war lasted for ten years until a dramatic peace agreement was reached between the royal family and the Communist Party in 2006.

Following the peace agreement, the monarchy was abolished after 239 years in 2008, and Nepal became a republic. Nepal transformed into a parliamentary cabinet system, and although the Communist Party of Nepal, which had led the movement to abolish the monarchy, came to power, the party soon split, deepening political chaos. The Communist Party of Nepal fractured into Marxist-Leninist, Maoist, and socialist factions, while pro-monarchy parties also continued to feud with them. Due to these prolonged political disputes, Nepal has changed prime ministers 13 times since 2008.

On March 9 (local time), royalist citizens protested demanding the restoration of the monarchy in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Photo by AFP

The political maneuvers of former King Gyanendra Shah are further fueling instability. Although he was ousted for his autocratic rule, Gyanendra has since allied with royalist supporters and is now leading royalist anti-government protests. This year as well, in March and May, royalist supporters staged large-scale demonstrations in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, demanding the restoration of the monarchy.

Amid political turmoil, a series of natural disasters has left the country unable to recover from the damage. The massive earthquake that struck Nepal in 2015 resulted in more than 30,000 casualties and left over 6 million people displaced, yet recovery efforts remain incomplete. The hardships of ordinary citizens have worsened as tourism revenues plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and another earthquake in 2023 caused more than 500 casualties.