The next time someone tells you the youth aren’t engaged enough in politics, just point them to Nepal. According to multiple reports, the youth of the South Asian nation managed to oust the existing government following an attempted ban of major social media platforms and took to Discord to hold an impromptu convention to elect an interim prime minister.
Earlier this week, demonstrations led primarily by students and youth groups took to the streets of Nepal to protest the decision of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to ban operations of social platforms (including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Twitter) in the country after accusing the companies of failing to appoint liaisons to hear the demands of the Nepali government. Some citizens of the country believe the crackdown came for another reason, though: social media had become a primary source of directing discontent at the current administration, including a recent “Nepo Kid” campaign that alleged corruption throughout the government, highlighted by the lavish lifestyles of the children of elected officials.
Those demonstrations quickly turned violent, as Nepali police killed at least 19 anti-corruption protesters. The demonstrators responded by setting government buildings on fire, including the prime minister’s office. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Oli resigned and fled the country. With the military in charge and imposing strict crackdowns on gatherings, the youth of Nepal reportedly took to Discord, according to the New York Times, to organize.
A server set up to act as a digital convention space attracted more than 100,000 users, organized by a civic group known as Hami Nepal and dominated by activists who spearheaded and took part in the demonstrations that ultimately led to the ouster of the former prime minister. Within the server, discussions as to who the group wants to lead the country have taken place. Per the Times, the Discord server has hosted conversations with candidates for the role, and members have voted on the platform for their choice: Sushila Karki, a former chief justice and well-known anti-corruption crusader within the country.
The organizing appears to have worked. On Friday, the military accepted the recommendation of the protest group and named Karki the interim prime minister. Karki, who accepted the role, is expected to pick a new cabinet and eventually hold elections. According to the Times, that is expected to happen within the next six months or so.
Gizmodo reached out to Discord for comment on the situation, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
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