Gen Z Movement And Political Course Ahead

B P Koirala wrote in his Aatmabritanta (autobiography), "The country is not the property of any individual or family; it belongs to the people," which resonates well even after decades, with the renewed urgency as Nepalis recently witnessed the rise of the Gen Z movement, a generation determined to reclaim the state as a collective possession. 

The sudden burst of the Gen Z movement across Nepal has caught political elites off guard, rattled traditional holders of power and revitalised the nation's public debate over what it actually means to represent the people. The protest did not stem just from frustration with the ban imposed on social media websites but from a longer, decades-long disillusionment with a political culture that has been treating the state as property and politics as a money-making venture. This movement was more than a political movement; it was an educational awakening, a strong demonstration of how young people, shaped by today's learning, global experience and technological connectivity, are redefining citizenship, patriotism and responsibility.

Education and political consciousness

Youth today are the most highly educated, digitally literate and globally connected generation in our experience. They grew up not in the shadow of monarchy or feudal patronage, but in a republic that promised them democracy, equality and development promises still unredeemed.

Through classrooms, institutions and cyberspace, Gen Zs have developed a new grammar of citizenship. They confront corruption, nepotism and misuse of power with courage and honesty. They have learned to evaluate leadership not based on caste, ethnicity or past loyalty but based on merit, ability and integrity. This is the power of education: when it promotes critical thinking, it automatically questions authority. Gen Z protests are therefore not a coincidence of social media activism but the culmination of years of silent schooling, questioning and critical generation.

State ownership and patriotism

One of the most remarkable features of this movement is Gen Z's sense of ownership of the state. Unlike the political elites who have often utilised the state as a tool of personal indulgence, Gen Z youth take over the state as their own property. Their outrage is not based on nihilism but on their passion for Nepal. Their patriotism can be seen in the slogans they cry out, risk they expose themselves to on the streets, and the sacrifices they made.

Patriotism in their instance does not channel itself into parochial nationalism or fanatic devotion to party bosses. Rather, it comes as a call to reforms in the system so that the next generations will not have to emigrate in despair or live under the stifling specter of corruption and bad governance.

The agendas of Gen Z

At the center of the Gen Z movement was a straightforward set of interconnected agendas: they want transparency and accountability in government, eradication of the entrenched corruption and nepotism, and equal access based on meritocracy rather than privilege. They want digital freedom and free speech as basic civil rights, not curtailed under the pretext of regulation. They seek economic opportunities that are genuine in Nepal so that young people do not need to emigrate for livelihood and dignity. Most importantly, they desire politics realigned—away from business-like, party-focused culture and towards people-focused, service-focused politics that views politics as a responsibility to uplift society and not an instrument for self-enrichment.

The tragedy of Nepal's political past is not the absence of movements but the ever-recurring betrayal of movements by politicians. From the democratic movement to the republican transition, the script has been the same: sacrifices of the people have been exploited by leaders to get into power, who have then turned politics into a business.

Instead of nurturing democratic institutions, parties have nurtured patronage networks. Instead of serving the people, they have served themselves and their relatives. Instead of engaging in politics as public service, they have engaged in politics as private business. The current popular mood regarding the parties is, therefore, not unexpectedly negative. The Gen Z movement is not against some individual leader or party; it is against the entire cult of egoistic politics that has bedeviled Nepal for decades.

During this time of transition, the political parties must resist temptation. Tactics to mobilise a counter-protest or to destroy the transition government could be not only counterproductive but also suicidal. Political leaders, by resisting the aspirations of this generation, risk alienating the very citizens who will determine if they remain relevant in the coming years.

What political parties need to do instead is to shut up, think, and change. They need to apologise for errors of the past—not as a strategy but as a sense of morality. They need to change their approach. They need to draft manifestos that actually speak about the hopes of this generation—cyber rights, clean government, jobs, and dignity. Only then can they dream of regaining trust and joining the democratic space with credibility.

If well-organised, well-guided with wisdom and given true opportunity, Gen Z can rebuild the Nepali state on saner foundations. It is a generation unencumbered by past borders of ideology, ethnicity or party identity. They are pragmatically oriented, globally perceiving and nationalist in allegiance and not towards narrow horizons.

The role of education will be essential in this regard. Schools and universities are not only tasked with the transmission of knowledge but also must engage in imparting civic values, critical consciousness, compassion, service and leadership. Political awareness must be developed not as party indoctrination but as the development of good citizenship. Patriotism must be acquired not as mindless nationalism but as a sense of responsibility to serve and protect the nation.

If that vision is embraced, Gen Z can be not only the voice of dissent but also the architects of a new Nepal, an inclusive, open and future-oriented one.

Wake-up call 

The Gen Z revolution is a wake-up call to Nepal's political establishment and a call to action to Nepal itself. For the political parties, the path forward is clear: think, reform, apologise, and join this generation's dreams. For intellectuals and teachers, the responsibility is to build this political consciousness so that it grows into constructive leadership and not despair. For Gen Zs, the responsibility is to remain united, disciplined and visionary.

If all of these ingredients align, Nepal will be on the threshold of something different. The Gen Z revolution is more than a protest; it is the beginning of a remaking of the Nepali state. As Nelson Mandela once reminded the world in his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom, “I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.” The Gen Z movement in Nepal carries this very ideal at its core.

(Adhikari is an educator, education leader, trainer and a consultant.)