Description: Nepali military forces took control and restored public order in the capital Kathmandu and other cities which were engulfed in the violent protests in the country which culminated in prison breaks in the capital. The military imposed a curfew and issued public warnings to the wider population, cautioning them to stay in their homes and avoid gathering in large numbers. Protesters, branded Gen Z or Nepo Kids, torched public buildings, violently clashed with the police forces, caused irreparable damage to private and public property and looted state and private buildings for over two days. The protests toppled Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and his government, effectively leaving Nepal without political leadership. The country’s military presently serves as an interim governing force and is engaged in negotiations with leaders from the Gen Z protests. Multiple protesters took to social media and expressed public support for the current mayor of Kathmandu, Balendra Shah to become the country’s new interim Prime Minister, as he was commended for his efforts in developing the infrastructure in the capital, tackling corruption and tax evasion and launching initiatives to improve oversight in the public education sector. Nepal’s two dividing regional forces, China and India were closely monitoring the developments in the country, as Nepal has embedded trade ties with India and enhanced bilateral cooperation with China as the country is a signatory to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Impact: Nepal’s constitutional restructuring would be a long process as the abrupt violent revolution has denounced any current political establishment. The protests led by the nation’s Gen Z population have obliterated public trust in the existing Communist Party, the Nepali Congress and the Maoist Centre party as the country remains leaderless and in constant flux between resurgence of public unrest and aspiring political transition. Kathmandu’s mayor has emerged as a potential candidate to spearhead the initiative and contribute towards bridging the gap between the country’s political elite and the downtrodden young population. On the foreign front, India and China would most definitely exploit the domestic crisis to reinsert their presence as Nepal has been the ground zero for both countries in their regional conflict over influence. India holds the leverage as Nepal’s biggest trade partner with cultural, ethnical and religious connections bolstering India’s bid for dominance. China on the other hand could pitch Nepal, which is signatory to the BRI, to boost the country’s economy through development plans, potentially reducing unemployment and closing the economic disparity gap. The state of the nation is presently extremely fragile as Nepal balances between reform and restructuring or return to public unrest, potentially prompting the military to take complete governing control. The political climate in the country is also deteriorated, however, the negotiations are evident efforts which demonstrate the population’s investment in the country’s transition towards stability and progress.