Nepal - September 2025

On 9 September, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and several key officials resigned amid outrage over the government’s violent response to mass protests. The ‘Gen-Z’ protests were triggered by a nationwide ban on 26 social media platforms, but quickly evolved into a broader movement through which youth expressed their dissatisfaction with governance, corruption, nepotism and political instability. Rights experts condemned the government’s excessive use of force, which included live ammunition, resulting in at least 73 deaths and thousands of injuries, marking the deadliest unrest in decades. The government claimed that some demonstrations were infiltrated by external groups, accusing specific protestors of arson and vandalism of state buildings and public records. On 9 September, prior to Oli’s resignation, the government lifted the social media ban.

Sources: Crisis Group, BBC News, Tech Policy Press,  The Kathmandu Post, International IDEA (1), International IDEA (2), International IDEA (3)

On 12 September, President Ram Chandra Poudel appointed former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as interim prime minister, becoming Nepal’s first female head of government. Karki’s appointment follows anti-corruption protests earlier in the month, which led to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's resignation. Karki emerged as the frontrunner candidate among Nepal’s ‘Gen Z’ protesters. While Nepal’s Constitution prohibits former Supreme Court judges from holding public office, the President appointed Karki under Article 61, invoking exceptional powers to ensure political stability. Upon Karki’s recommendation, President Ram Chandra Poudel  dissolved parliament and scheduled parliamentary elections for 5 March 2026. Several cases have been brought before the Supreme Court contesting the constitutionality of the dissolution of Parliament. 

Sources: BBC News, The Kathmandu Post, Online Khabar, Financial Times, My Republica