Nepal Protests: In what will go down in history as one of the most unconventional yet modern methods of political transition, Nepal elected its interim Prime Minister through Discord on Friday. The historic move follows a week of intense, youth-led protests that led to the collapse of the KP Sharma Oli's administration in Nepal.
On Friday, September 12, former Supreme Court Justice Sushila S. Karki was sworn in as Nepal's interim Prime Minister. At 73, she becomes the first woman to hold the position. The protests, largely organized by tech-savvy youth via digital platforms, have been hailed as a revolutionary demonstration of 21st-century political engagement.
The protests by 'Gen Z' in Nepal started as a social media movement opposing the lifestyles of 'nepo kids'. The situation escalated into violence after Prime Minister Oli declared a ban on social media platforms that did not adhere to government regulations.
Security forces responded with gunfire and tear gas to the increasingly aggressive protests, which involved setting fire to politicians' homes and government structures, including the parliament. According to Reuters, at least 51 people lost their lives and 1,300 were injured.
The recent protests in Nepal were notably different, being loosely organized across cities without a central leadership. Coordination mainly happened via social media platforms like Discord.
A Discord server with over 100,000 members became a key hub, featured on national TV and news livestreams. After Oli’s resignation on September 9, the server became the center of discussions to fill the power vacuum. Managed by NGO Hami Nepal, the server played a role in identifying a candidate acceptable to the military, which held control during the government’s absence.
In just four days, the server expanded to 145,000 users but encountered issues due to trolls. Ultimately, the Discord community agreed on Sushila Karki. She garnered the highest number of votes in an informal poll conducted on the server, and her name was suggested for discussions with the military. On Thursday, Karki was endorsed by Nepal's president, Ram Chandra Poudel, and the Army chief, General Ashok Raj Sigdel, as reported by the Discord channel organizers.
Discord is a free messaging platform that supports text, voice, video calls, and media sharing. Launched in 2015 by Jason Citron and Stanislav Vishnevskiy, it began as a tool for gamers and evolved into a hub for online communities. As of May 2024, it has over 200 million monthly users. Popular among youth, especially during the pandemic, Discord is used to connect, play, and discuss shared interests.
Sign Up: Visit discord.com and create a free account.
Download or Open App: Use Discord on web, desktop, or mobile.
Join a Server: Click "+" → "Join a Server" → paste an invite link.
Explore Channels: Text and voice channels let you chat, call, or share media.
Start Chatting: Send messages, join voice chats, or share files.
Add Friends or Create Your Own Server: Build your community with invites.