Nepal stands at a critical juncture. After years of frustration over kleptocracy, corruption and electoral manipulation, citizens and their new leaders have a sequence of key decisions to make. 

With elections scheduled within the next few months, education on electoral processes and simplifying processes around voter cards are some of the priorities the country faces. This, in a country where young voters account for more than half of the electorate. Persistent shortcomings in the election system have already generated widespread discontent, creating conditions that could shake the legitimacy of the upcoming elections if these issues are not addressed comprehensively.

Another key priority will be combating mis- and disinformation; evidence of which we have seen widely on social media platforms with alarmist, untrue posts causing widespread panic. Dominant power structures continue to manipulate information, spreading rumors, misinformation, and even deepfakes with the aim of destabilizing communities. Allowed to spread unchecked, misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation, particularly in the context of elections, threatens to derail some of the reforms over the past few days.

Gen Z had taken to social media and the streets demanding what should be a constitutional right: a government free from corruption and accountable to its people. When security forces opened fire on peaceful protesters, killing 51 of them in total, government leaders made a fatal error – dismissing these young citizens as the “puppets of intellectuals” rather than recognizing their legitimate grievances.

This derisive response ignited nationwide fury. Within hours, angry youths had stormed Parliament, the Supreme Court, administrative buildings, and the presidential residence. Nepal’s young generation had reached its breaking point with a system that failed them, managing within a few days to help install a new Prime Minister in an “egalitarian” way  via Discord.

The immediate priority for incoming interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki must be to establish a government of unquestionable integrity, including people with a deep understanding of transitional processes. This leadership team will have to confront the multiple challenges of keeping citizens safe and also appropriately and accurately informed. Ensuring a focus on digital literacy will be critical and the government would do well to find partners for this work in the country’s resilient development sector. Youth champions who can mobilize existing and new networks around active reforms will also help counter undemocratic narratives. 

The newly formed government is mandated to hold elections on March 5, 2026. Ensuring these elections are conducted peacefully while guaranteeing the full participation of every eligible voter, particularly the youth, presents a formidable challenge. Amid deep divisions and a polarized political climate, safeguarding free and fair elections requires more than procedural guarantees. It demands building strong support systems that enable young people and civil society to play a central role in both the electoral process and its outcomes. What’s more, large segments of engaged yet disenfranchised youth living abroad have yet to secure their voting rights, and ignoring this group could derail efforts toward electoral reforms.

Any path forward must begin with inclusion. This means creating space on a continuous basis for the young people who sparked this change to assume leadership roles in the new structures. Guardrails need to ensure that the government taking shape is inclusive and representative, designed by and for the generation that made this transformation possible.

Nepal needs to build a system that doesn’t merely accommodate everyone equally, but ensures sustainable, accountable governance that serves all citizens. The formation of this interim government represents our best opportunity to get this right. Taking lessons from Bangladesh, where an interim government is under pressure to hold elections, will provide useful guidance- although Nepal has a long history of internal movements leading to transformational political change- and this will be a uniquely Nepali process. 

Civil society also has a vital role: pooling resources, sustaining dialogue, and charting constructive paths forward. We must also remain vigilant, ready to hold any interim government accountable should it drift from its reform mandate.

Political leaders, especially younger ones untainted by corruption networks, must find courage to speak truth and support new leadership. This is not a time for personal or partisan interests, but for genuine civic leadership. As the interim government takes shape, the true work of reform will begin. This requires unity, vigilance, and resilience to guard against violence, regressive politics, and external interference.

Nepal’s Gen Z has demonstrated remarkable vision, courage, and responsibility. Their voices deserve not just to be heard, but to be trusted. Their leadership must be nurtured with genuine, unconditional support as they work to rebuild Nepal. This is our moment to recreate not just buildings and institutions, but trust, accountability, and a democracy worthy of Nepal’s younger generations. Gen Z has shown they can tear down what doesn’t serve them. Now they must prove they can build what does.

Narayan Adhikari