Nepal — In a moment that underscored both the fragility of Nepal’s politics and the inventiveness of its younger generation, thousands of young protesters turned to the online platform Discord this week to choose the country’s next leader.
The unconventional process came after days of deadly unrest that toppled Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli’s government, which had faced mounting accusations of corruption, nepotism and a violent crackdown that left at least 72 people dead. Parliament was dissolved on Friday, and President Ramchandra Paudel called for new elections in March.
Seeking to restore stability while rejecting traditional politics, members of the youth-led activist group Hami Nepal launched a channel called Youth Against Corruption. More than 10,000 participants engaged in hours of debate, with another 6,000 watching a YouTube simulcast after Discord servers reached capacity. The goal: to identify a consensus figure capable of steering Nepal through its turbulent transition.
After an intense exchange that included direct outreach to potential candidates, the group voted to back Sushila Karki, a 73-year-old former chief justice of the Supreme Court, as interim prime minister. She was sworn into office on Friday. Karki, respected for her independence, is the first woman to hold Nepal’s top judicial post and is now the first leader to emerge through a digital mass vote.
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Analysts say the choice reflects both disillusionment with Nepal’s mainstream parties — which have produced 14 governments since the monarchy was abolished in 2008 — and a yearning for more transparent, participatory decision-making. Traditional coalition talks, often brokered behind closed doors, stood in sharp contrast to the open, if chaotic, debates that unfolded online.
The platform itself became symbolic. Earlier this month, Discord was among several apps banned by the Oli government, alongside Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, in what critics saw as an effort to muzzle dissent. Protesters said that ban was the final spark for mass demonstrations, during which government buildings and the homes of senior officials were set ablaze.
Whether the experiment signals a new model of governance or a fleeting moment of protest innovation remains uncertain. But for now, Nepal’s Gen Z has shown that in the vacuum left by discredited elites, even a gamer’s chat room can become the stage for national politics.
