Nepal’s Gen Z Uprising Forces Prime Minister’s Resignation After Deadly Crackdown

                           Protesters burn tires, violating the curfew orders in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Tuesday.

Nepal has been plunged into political turmoil after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned on Tuesday, just a year into his fourth term, following two days of violent anti-government protests that left at least 19 people dead.

The unrest, led largely by young Nepalis, erupted after the government abruptly banned 26 social media platforms — including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X — citing failure to register with authorities. The move was widely condemned as an attack on free speech and quickly became a rallying point for broader grievances over corruption, unemployment, and political privilege.

Although the ban was lifted within 24 hours, anger intensified. Protesters defied curfews, set fire to the homes of senior political leaders, and clashed with security forces. Viral videos showed Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel being chased and attacked in the streets.

In his resignation letter to President Ram Chandra Poudel, Oli said he was stepping down “to take further steps towards a political solution and resolution of the problems”. Three cabinet ministers also quit amid the chaos, but demonstrators have vowed to continue until systemic reforms and accountability for the killings are achieved.

The crisis marks one of Nepal’s most severe political upheavals in recent years, with the so-called “Gen Z protests” exposing deep public frustration and threatening to reshape the nation’s political landscape.