Kathmandu woke up this Wednesday under military control. In the aftermath of riots of rare violence, the army took a position in the Nepalese capital, crisscrossing the streets aboard tanks and armored vehicles. The day before, groups of young demonstrators burnt down the Parliament and the home of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, forced to resign after deadly protest days.
At the origin of anger? The government’s blockage of 26 social networks, including Facebook, YouTube and X. The decision has set fire to the powder in a country where almost 43 % of the population is between 16 and 40 years old and where digital platforms constitute a vital link with the diaspora, many millions of expatriate workers. Despite the lifting of the ban and the announcement of an investigation into police repression, youth continued their mobilization …
Police on Monday opened fire on processions gathered in Kathmandu and in the country’s major cities, killing at least 19 and several hundred injured, AFP reports. Tuesday, defying the curfew, groups gathered under the banner “Generation Z” stormed the symbols of power, from parliament to residences of political leaders.
Unemployment and corruption
This challenge is rooted in deeper discomfort. Despite a growth of 4.9 % in the first half of 2025, the Himalayan country struggled to create jobs. Young unemployment reached 20.8 %, according to the World Bank, and 82 % of the workforce remains used in the informal. Result: each year, hundreds of thousands of Nepalese go to work in India or the Middle East. Money transfers sent from abroad now represent a third of the gross domestic product.
Added to this is an endemic corruption. Transparency International classifies Nepal at 107ᵉ row out of 180. Videos showing the contrast between difficult daily life and the ease of children of political leaders have circulated massively on Tiktok in recent days, further anger.
The resignation of KP Sharma Oli, 73, a historic figure of the Nepalese Communist Party returned to power in 2024, was not enough to appease the spirits. President Ramchandra Paudel called “Everyone, including the demonstrators, to cooperate for a peaceful resolution of the difficult situation in the country.”
The army warned that it would repress any new act of vandalism or looting, while calling for dialogue. The chief of staff, General Ashok Raj Sigdel, urged “All the groups involved in demonstrations to return to calm and to initiate a dialogue”. In Kathmandu, mayor Balendra Shah, 35 -year -old engineer and rapper, who has become a popular figure, also invited young people to “Death restraint” while calling them to “Be ready to take the reins of the country”.
Beyond the borders, the UN and India, closely linked to Nepal, called for restraint. “The stability, peace and prosperity of Nepal are of capital importance for us”said Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Just like China that hopes to see “All parties in Nepal” able to “Appropriately deal with internal problems and restore social order and national stability as soon as possible”.
