Nepal’s Gen Z Online Government Formation Using Discord in 2025 became Historical

In 2025, Gen Z in Nepal led the charge of organising an unprecedented democratic experiment where they would vote on the new interim government of their country via an online meeting organised via Discord, the popular communication platform. When Nepal grappled with political upheaval, corruption scandals, and social media bans, this bold use of digital tools signalled a new era of youth-led governance and digital democracy in South Asia. 

Political Unrest and Gen Z Activism

The politics of Nepal took a turn at the beginning of September 2025. The administration of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli experienced tremendous pressure over mass protests following his regime's ban on 26 social media platforms, including Instagram and Facebook. This move sparked massive protests spearheaded by the young citizens aged between 13 and 28- the Gen Z generation- who perceived the ban as the denial of digital freedom and the last in a long lineage of graft and nepotism by the ruling elite.

The demonstrations grew quickly, culminating in bloody clashes with the police and causing the unfortunate deaths of at least 72 demonstrators, as reported by the government and independent sources. Protesters stormed government buildings and homes of past prime ministers and demanded accountability and systemic political reform. 

With this crisis, the Prime Minister Oli resigned on September 9, 2025, leaving a leadership vacuum in a country of more than 30 million people.

The Digital Revolution: electing Nepal's interim leader using Discord

As institutional trust was at an all-time low and traditional political systems broke down, politically awakened Gen Z Nepalese sought out new digital tools. Discord is a free US-based communication chat formerly aimed at the gaming community. Still, it has quickly become a community discussion platform in any field, becoming the place for Gen Z to connect and decide who will be the leader of Nepal. 

The movement was led on Discord by an influential Gen Z activism group called Hami Nepal, with more than 160,000 members. The organisation established a special server platform, Youth Against Corruption, which emerged as the hub of countrywide political discussions that enrolled more than 100,000 individuals, including the representatives of the global Nepali diaspora.

This is in contrast to the traditional elections where the participants were permitted to discuss in real-time, have moderated debates and informal voting polls to shortlist and elect candidates who would hold the interim prime minister office. Participants referred to the move as a mini-election to choose an individual capable of leading Nepal to free and fair elections due in March 2026.

How It Worked: Consensus on Online Debates

The Discord server was a place of lively debates on the most important national topics, including job creation, changes in education, police accountability, and the improvement of healthcare systems. Members, many of whom were new to the political discourse, were educated about the governance processes and asked questions and fact-checked information in special sub-rooms.

Five candidates became leaders in the server:

• Sushila Karki, the former Nepal Chief Justice.
• Mahir Pun is a prominent social innovator.
• Arkaang, a social activist, local mayor,
• Sagar Dhakal, a young politician and cricketer.
• Bochan Timalsina is a YouTube influencer and movement advisor.

Sushila Karki emerged as the winner of the polls after a series of deliberations and several polls. This was later approved by the president of Nepal, Ram Chandra Poudel, and the Army chief, Gen. Ashok Raj Sigdel, which was an indication of military consent essential to any interim rule in the unstable political climate in Nepal.  

Problems of Virtual Democracy: Inclusion, Manipulation, and Verification

Despite the innovative approach, the experiment was not without issues. The server faced challenges, including:

• Trolls and other non-Nepalese elements who tried to influence votes
• The challenge of establishing the identity of voters and having the voices of everyone heard, representing the Nepali population
• Pro-monarchy forces that attempted to penetrate discussions, and
• The possibility of fake news and fanaticism.

The organisers reacted by setting up fact-checking avenues and fact-checking teams to help ensure transparency and order. A Discord moderator and recent graduate, Shaswot Lamichhane, observed that the process was far more egalitarian than in-person forums. However, it had some disadvantages of being manipulated by participants due to the online nature of the platform.

Why does this step of Nepali GenZ matter? 

The Gen Z-driven adoption of Discord in Nepal to choose a government interim leader is a turning point in participative politics and digital democracy. It shows how young movements armed by cheap technology and social media can uproot established political structures and hold politicians accountable in ways that were unheard of a decade ago.

The strategy provides a possible example of other countries facing corruption issues, political stalemate, or social media bans. Online platforms may reduce political participation hurdles, particularly for the younger age group that has been marginalised in decision-making processes in the past.

Nevertheless, it emphasises the thin line between inclusivity and digital governance experiment. The question of legitimacy, prevention of misinformation, and the creation of legal frameworks remain relevant in developing democracies in the digital era.

Preparing for Nepal's March 2026 Elections

Nepal has never had a youth consensus to elect an interim leader, so it is now faced with stabilising its governance and preparing to hold its next general election. With their involvement in this process, generation Z has rejuvenated the hopes of a transparent, meritocratic political future.

As this newfound democracy is cultivated, the government must combat the demonstrations' fundamental cause: corruption, unemployment, and the absence of the rule of law through digital freedoms. In the meantime, the Nepalese experiment shows that with proper design and attention, online platforms can supplement traditional politics and make the process of governing more participatory and responsive.