Kathmandu saw history being made on Friday (September 12) as Sushila S Karki, a 73-year-old former Supreme Court judge, was sworn in as Nepal’s interim Prime Minister. Her appointment came after a week of fiery youth-led protests that toppled the KP Sharma Oli government and left the country searching for a new leader.
Nepal will head to the polls on March 5, 2026, but until then, Karki, the first woman ever to hold the top job, will steer the country through a tense transition.
Protests That Started Online, Turned Deadly
What began as young Nepalis mocking “nepo kids” on social media soon spiraled into something far bigger. When then-PM Oli banned apps that didn’t meet strict rules, anger exploded. Streets filled with Gen Z demonstrators, security forces fired tear gas and bullets, and government offices, even the parliament, went up in flames.
Reuters reported that at least 51 people died and more than 1,300 were injured before the unrest calmed.
A Surprising Stage for Politics: Discord
While the violence shook Nepal, something unusual was happening online. Protesters, most of them under 28, turned to Discord, an app better known for gamers, to hold an informal vote on who should lead the country next.
how am I supposed to explain my kids that I spammed sushila karki’s name on discord which eventually led her to be first female PM of nepal 😭 (also stopped kulman) pic.twitter.com/zWhPv9appU
— zyn z अल्ल मल्ल (@allamalla69) September 12, 2025
One Discord server swelled past 100,000 members and was even streamed on national TV. There, names were floated, arguments raged, and polls were held. Cricketer Sagar Dhakal and former electricity chief Kul Man Ghising were contenders, but Sushila Karki eventually came out on top.
Discord becomes an unlikely political arena
As the government crumbled, protesters flocked to the chat platform Discord, usually known for gaming communities, to discuss the country’s next steps. One server swelled to more than 100,000 members in just a few days. Debates were streamed live on Nepali TV and news sites, drawing even more attention.
“The Parliament of Nepal right now is Discord,” said Sid Ghimiri, a 23-year-old content creator from Kathmandu.
The server was run by volunteers from the NGO Hami Nepal, a group familiar with crisis work during earthquakes and floods. Even Nepal’s military, which held effective control after the cabinet was dissolved, contacted the organisers, asking them to suggest an interim leader.
Picking a Prime Minister, Chatroom Style
The online group considered several names, from cricketer Sagar Dhakal to former electricity chief Kul Man Ghising. After polls and heated debates, members backed Sushila Karki.
On Thursday, she received the support of President Ram Chandra Poudel and Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel. By the next morning, she had taken the oath of office.
What Is Discord and Why Gen Z Loves It
Launched in 2015 by Jason Citron and Stanislav Vishnevskiy, Discord started as a simple voice-chat tool for gamers. Over time, it grew into a massive social platform with over 200 million monthly users by mid-2024.
Here’s why it clicked with young Nepalese protesters:
- Easy Access: You can open Discord in a browser or download its app on phones and PCs.
- Servers: Think of them as online clubs. Each server hosts communities around music, politics, gaming, or even mental health.
- Text & Voice Channels: Chat through messages or jump into live voice rooms, no awkward “meeting host” needed like Zoom.
- Screen Sharing & Streaming: Popular for gaming, watch parties, or group brainstorming.
- Roles & Moderation: Admins can set rules, hand out badges, or kick out trolls, keeping big groups under control.
- During the pandemic, these tools made Discord more than a gamer hub. Gen Z embraced it as a space to hang out, debate, and form communities.
From Gaming App to Political Arena
The protests that unseated Nepal’s government were loosely organised and spread across several cities, with no single leader. Discord gave that energy a focus. Within four days, its servers ballooned to 145,000 users, though trolls and outsiders often disrupted chats.
Despite the chaos, the community rallied behind one candidate. Karki’s name, backed by informal polls, reached the army and president, and soon after, she was sworn in.
