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Pro-monarchy forces are seizing the opportunity to revive Hindu nationalist and royalist narratives, raising fears of communal tensions and interference by Islamist groups
The Nepal army troops opened fire to stop a mass breakout from Ramechhap District Prison, wounding more than a dozen inmates.
Nepal is slipping into a dangerous political vacuum marked by weak institutions and a fractured leadership, raising fears of an army-backed caretaker regime. According to a classified intelligence assessment accessed by CNN-News18, the collapse of democratic processes has left the Nepal Army as the most powerful actor in the country’s governance, overshadowing civilian authority and peacekeeping.
Top intelligence sources told CNN-News18 that the prolonged power vacuum is weakening constitutional order and creating fertile ground for military influence. This shift alarms many youth activists and protest groups, known as Gen Z, who fear Nepal is tilting toward army-led governance rather than a peaceful civilian solution.
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Within the Gen Z movement, a significant internal split complicates efforts to present a unified front. One faction supports former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as a neutral judicial figure for leading an interim government, while another backs Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, a popular youth leader pushing for radical change. This lack of unity is stalling negotiations and delaying a clear path forward.
The divide is not merely generational but also political. Traditional parties like the Nepali Congress (NC), Communist UML, and Maoist factions all seek space in the interim setup. However, many protesters dismiss these groups as part of the entrenched “Nepo Kids” — privileged elites disconnected from the youth movement’s demands — creating a legitimacy crisis for Nepal’s constitutional framework.
Amid this chaos, pro-monarchy forces are seizing the opportunity to revive Hindu nationalist and royalist narratives, raising fears of communal tensions and even interference by Islamist groups and foreign intelligence agencies like Pakistan’s ISI. This volatile mix risks deepening ethnic and religious fault lines in Nepalese society.
The protests, mainly concentrated in urban centers such as Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Biratnagar, have not spread significantly to rural areas, creating an imbalance that further complicates consensus-building. Meanwhile, ongoing curfews, bank closures, and food shortages are placing immense pressure on Nepal’s middle and working classes, making any economic recovery nearly impossible.
As the country struggles to agree on an interim Prime Minister, whether a neutral judicial figure like Sushila Karki or an elected youth leader like Balendra Shah, Nepal’s future hangs in the balance amid a crisis of governance, legitimacy, and constitutional order.
About the Author
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
Kathmandu, Nepal
September 11, 2025, 16:05 IST
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