Nepal‘s Gen Z Turns to discord to Select Interim Prime Minister After Protests
Kathmandu, Nepal - Following widespread protests and the lifting of a nationwide curfew, Nepal has appointed Sushila Karki as its interim Prime Minister after a unique selection process driven by the country’s youth on the Discord platform. Over 100,000 nepali citizens utilized a virtual chat room on Discord to debate and ultimately choose a leader,according to a report by The New York Times dated September 11,2025.
The movement originated amidst unrest that saw citizens photographing “charred parliament, govt buildings, protest sites,” as reported in initial coverage.With the country in a state of flux, a Discord channel organized by the civic association Hami Nepal became a focal point for determining the nation’s next steps. Protesters coordinating on the streets also participated in the online discussions.
“The Parliament of Nepal right now is Discord,” Sid ghimiri, a 23-year-old from Kathmandu, told The New York Times.
Organizers of the channel engaged with the Nepal army, presenting suggestions for an interim leader. Potential candidates discussed included Sagar Dhakal, a former political candidate, and Kulman Ghising, the former chief of Nepal’s electricity board. Through a series of polls and deliberations, Sushila Karki, the country’s former chief justice, emerged as the top choice. She was sworn in as Prime Minister on Friday, September 13, 2025.
Shaswot Lamichhane, a channel moderator, explained to The New York Times that the process aimed “to simulate a kind of mini-election,” acknowledging the group wasn’t fully representative of the nation but sought to identify a suitable interim leader.
The unconventional process drew reaction from Anjney Midha, a former Discord VP of product (2021-2023), who commented on X (formerly Twitter), “This is not what I meant when we had to design for all kinds of use cases.” Midha is currently a general partner at andreessen Horowitz, investing in AI and other technologies.
Elections are scheduled for March 5, 2026, approximately six months after Karki’s appointment. During the swearing-in ceremony,Prime Minister Karki stated,”I,Sushila Karki… take an oath in the name of the country and the peopel to fulfil my duty as the prime minister,” to which President Ram chandra paudel responded,”Congratulations! We wish you success,wish the country success.”
