The prime minister of Nepal, Sharma Oli, has resigned today after a mass protest movement, mostly led by young people, was met with a brutal crackdown, which resulted in 21 deaths. The Nepalese government has also announced it is lifting a social media ban, which was one of the central issues behind the protests. Here is everything you need to know about why people in Nepal are taking to the streets, how the situation escalated and what might happen next.

WHY ARE PEOPLE PROTESTING?

The protesters have a number of different grievances and demands. One of them is a recent social media ban, which made sites like Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, X and even LinkedIn impossible to access in Nepal. Protestors have said this fits into a larger pattern of authoritarianism by the government, and many people were particularly unhappy about suddenly being unable to communicate with family members abroad.

But it seems like the social media ban was just the tipping point. There is also widespread anger about government corruption, heightened by a series of high-profile scandals, and the sense that the government is not doing enough to create opportunities for young people or to address a high youth unemployment rate. According to Aayush Basyal, a 27-year-old student quoted in Al-Jazeera, these feelings have been exacerbated by the children of government leaders flaunting their wealth on TikTok videos (this could be the first time that nepo babies have played a role in a political uprising).

The protests also follow similar movements in neighbouring Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, which succeeded in toppling their respective governments and may have served as an inspiration.

HOW DID THINGS KICK OFF?

The protests started on Monday morning (September 8) in the centre of Kathmandu. There were a large number of young people in attendance, with some arriving in their school uniforms. After a small group of protesters broke past a police barricade and entered the area surrounding the Parliament, the authorities imposed a curfew, but this didn’t succeed in calming things down. Police forces used tear gas and water cannons against the protesters, some of whom responded by throwing water bottles and tree branches. After the police opened fire with live ammunition, 19 people were killed.

HOW DID THE SITUATION ESCALATE?

On Tuesday (September 9), protesters continued to defy the curfew and managed to break into the parliament building, which they vandalised and set alight. They also torched the homes of several prominent politicians and the offices of several political parties. At least people have been killed today, bringing the total death toll up to 21, and 90 people are currently being treated in hospital.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?

As well as the prime minister’s resignation, several high-profile politicians have handed in their resignations, while others have resigned in protest of the government’s response. But it’s not yet clear whether this will be enough to quell the protests, which are demanding a more substantial change to how Nepal is governed.