Nepali youth, digitally savvy but burdened by unemployment and limited opportunities, reached a breaking point this week, enraged at an elderly ruling class they view as disconnected.
Dissatisfaction has grown due to political instability, corruption, and slow economic development in the Himalayan nation of 30 million people.
This frustration escalated into street anger on Monday, triggered by a government ban on social media—later overturned—with at least 19 people killed as police attempted to suppress protests.
The resignation of 73-year-old Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli failed to quell the protesters’ anger, who set fire to parliament and several other government and political party buildings.
Many claimed that the social media ban was merely the catalyst for the protests.
Here are some of the factors that led to the government’s downfall.
– Economic Woes –
The World Bank states that a “staggering” 82 percent of Nepal’s workforce is in informal employment, “far higher than global and regional averages”.
Remittances are vital for Nepal’s economy, equaling a third of the country’s GDP last year and the fourth-highest rate globally, according to the World Bank.
Social media serves as a crucial tool for keeping in touch with relatives abroad.
“Nepal’s reliance on remittances has been central to the country’s growth but has not translated into quality jobs at home, reinforcing a cycle of lost opportunities and the continued departure of many Nepalis abroad in search of employment,” the World Bank mentioned in its latest country report.
The economy has improved; real GDP grew by 4.9 percent in the first half of the 2025 financial year—from 4.3 percent in the same period in 2024, mainly due to the agricultural and industrial sectors.
Nepal categorizes young people as aged between 16-40, totaling more than 12 million people or nearly 43 percent overall, according to government statistics.
“With around 500,000 young people joining the workforce every year in Nepal, the urgency to create jobs that lift families out of poverty and drive sustainable development has never been more critical,” said World Bank Vice President for South Asia, Johannes Zutt, following a visit last week.
– Corruption –
The rights group Transparency International ranks Nepal 107 out of 180 countries.
Videos contrasting the struggles of ordinary Nepalis with the children of politicians flaunting luxury goods and expensive vacations have gone viral on TikTok.
Puja Manni, a 23-year-old woman who has worked abroad, said the excesses of the ruling elite had been “exposed through social media”.
Among the young, there was widespread dissatisfaction with leaders who have held power for decades.
The country became a federal republic in 2008 after a decade-long civil war and a peace deal that saw the Maoists brought into government and the abolishment of the monarchy.
Since then, a revolving door of aging prime ministers and a culture of horse-trading have fueled public perception that the government is out of touch.
– Fear at Loss of Rights –
Nepal’s National Human Rights Commission warned that the social media ban undermined “the spirit of democratic governance”.
Santosh Sigdel, of Digital Rights Nepal, said the ban was a “slippery slope”, while the Kathmandu Post stated it “touched a raw nerve” with an angry youth.
“They use these platforms to vent pent-up frustrations, connect with friends, and keep abreast with the rest of the world,” wrote the newspaper, whose offices were torched by a mob on Tuesday.
“They were already antsy, fed up with the country’s woeful health and education systems, and rampant corruption and nepotism—so much so that many of them saw no future in the country.”
