'If shedding blood is good for our future then … ': Gen Z topples Nepal govt; what are their key demands?

Nepal has been rocked by a wave of violent protests led by its young population, with anger spilling onto the streets of Kathmandu after the government briefly banned social media platforms. The demonstrations, dubbed the “protest of Gen Z,” have left at least 19 people dead and scores wounded, forcing Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign.

What began as outrage over restrictions on Facebook, X and YouTube quickly grew into something much deeper: A mass outpouring of frustration against corruption, entrenched political elites, and a lack of opportunities for the country’s youth. Protesters torched parliament, government offices, and the homes of senior politicians, including those of former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife, current foreign minister Arzu Deuba.

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Even after Oli’s resignation, tens of thousands of young people remained on the streets, calling for new leadership and systemic change. “If shedding blood is good for our future, then it was right for me to participate,” said 20-year-old Suman Rai, speaking to Reuters from his hospital bed with bandaged head and wrist after being injured in clashes.

What are the demands

Protesters say their struggle is not only against a social media ban but against decades of political failure. “The Gen-Z wants regulation, it wants freedom from corruption. We want change,” said Subhash, a demonstrator in Kathmandu, speaking to ANI. He added that protesters “caught all the politicians” and set fire to the Deuba residence, while demanding a “good leader” and dialogue with the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

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Al Jazeera reported similar sentiments from protesters. “We need to kick these old leaders out of power. We are tired of the same old faces,” said 27-year-old AI engineer Yugant Ghimire, who accused the government of being on a “power trip” and ignoring accountability. Organisers have now issued “non-negotiable” demands, including the dissolution of parliament, mass resignations of lawmakers, suspension of officials who ordered police to open fire, and fresh elections, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Balen Shah, Kathmandu’s mayor and a popular rapper, declared on social media that while he would not attend rallies because of the age limit, “it is important to understand their message” and said he gave his “full support.”

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The frustration of Nepal’s youth stems from years of political instability, corruption, and economic stagnation. Nearly 43% of the country’s population is aged 16–40, but with limited jobs at home, around 2,000 young Nepalis leave each day to seek work abroad. Transparency International ranks Nepal 107 out of 180 for corruption, while viral social media videos showing the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ children have only sharpened public anger.

For many, Oli’s dismissal of protesters as reckless “just by saying Gen Z” encapsulated the ruling elite’s disconnection. That dismissal backfired spectacularly, as mobs set fire to parliament, media offices, and luxury car showrooms in defiance of curfews. President Ram Chandra Poudel has appealed for calm, while the army has been deployed to restore order.