Nepal signs agreement with Gen Z representatives

Nepal's new prime minister Sushila Karki greets ministers administered the oath of office by Nepalese President Ram Chandra Poudel at the presidential building in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)

Nepalese officials on Wednesday inked a landmark agreement with representatives of the Gen Z movement, whose September uprising toppled the Himalayan nation’s government.

The demonstrations, initially triggered by anger over a brief government ban on social media, were spearheaded by protesters under the loose “Gen Z” umbrella title. They were fuelled by deeper frustration over economic hardship and corruption.

At a ceremony in the capital Kathmandu, the room clapped as interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki and Bhoj Bikram Thapa, who represented those who were killed or injured during the protest, signed the agreement.

“This is a milestone,” Karki said.

“We are here as two sides in this agreement, but we are all on the same side... What we all want is for the youth to come into leadership and the nation to run according to their aspirations and thoughts,” she said.

At least 19 people were killed in a crackdown on the first day of protests in September.

The unrest spread nationwide the following day as parliament and government offices were set ablaze, resulting in the government’s swift collapse.

At least 76 people were killed in the violent unrest.

Within days, 73-year-old former chief justice Karki was appointed interim prime minister to lead Nepal to elections on March 5, 2026.

The newly signed agreement lays out measures aimed at curbing corruption, strengthening governance and provisions for electoral and constitutional reforms.

It also commits the government to address the demands of families of those killed or wounded during the uprising and adds to the mandate of the commission investigating the events.

“It’s a very emotional moment and a historic achievement for all of Gen Z,” Yujan Rajbhandari, 23, who was present during the signing, told AFP.

“We worked day and night for three months to make this agreement happen. This agreement has given legitimacy to the Gen-Z protest, and we hope it will bring justice to the families of the martyrs,” he added.

Nepal’s political landscape remains volatile, with widespread mistrust of long-dominant parties complicating efforts to ensure credible polls.