In September 2025, Nepal was shaken by youth protests against corruption and nepotism, state violence that left at least 76 people dead, and widespread destruction of infrastructure. The government was dissolved, an interim government was appointed, and elections were called for March 2026. This essay explores how social media became a lifeline for young people in a context of high labor emigration, creating a platform for new political claims, especially a demand for more inclusive access to the state. It also considers the relational dynamics of corruption and asks to what extent the Gen Z movement can transform old hierarchies within its own platform for change.
Shneiderman et al. (Mon,) studied this question.