Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli Resigns: Nation’s Struggle with Democracy and Monarchy Continues
Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned on Tuesday (September 9) amid escalating protests in the Himalayan nation.
Young protesters, primarily from Generation Z, took to the streets of Kathmandu and even set fire to Oli’s private residence in Balkot, Bhaktapur, expressing their frustration with the government.
The unrest followed the government’s decision to ban 26 social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter). The protests gained momentum as young people demonstrated against rampant corruption under the Oli administration and rising unemployment.
Security forces opened fire during the protests, resulting in the deaths of at least 19 people.
Protests continued even as several ministers in Oli’s Cabinet resigned and the government overturned its decision on the social media ban, ultimately forcing the Prime Minister to step down.
Political stability remains elusive in Nepal, which has seen 13 different governments in just 17 years. Recently, calls to restore the monarchy have been gaining traction.
In March, thousands protested against Oli’s government, demanding the reinstatement of the monarchy abolished nearly two decades ago.
Nepal has a 240-year history of dynastic rule, which ended in 2008 when King Gyanendra Shah was forced to step down following mass protests. Gyanendra, the second son of Crown Prince Mahendra, became king in 2002 after the massacre of his brother and family. Initially a constitutional monarch without executive powers, he seized absolute authority in 2005.
During his rule, a state of emergency was declared, the government was dissolved, and numerous politicians and journalists were jailed. In 2006, protests led by a seven-party alliance and the formerly banned CPN Maoist party compelled Gyanendra to reinstate the previous parliament.
On May 28, 2008, the monarchy was officially removed from Nepal’s amended constitution and replaced with a republic.
Years later, frustration over political instability and a struggling economy reignited calls for a constitutional monarchy, envisioning a parliamentary democracy with a Hindu identity.
While restoring the monarchy would require a constitutional amendment, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s resignation has once again raised questions about Nepal’s political future.
