Overview

• President Ramchandra Paudel accepted KP Sharma Oli’s resignation, creating a power vacuum during sustained youth-led unrest.
• The Nepal Army has moved to facilitate dialogue between student organizers and Kathmandu Mayor Balendra “Balen” Shah, who is being pushed by many protesters for a transitional role.
• Shah endorsed the protests in Facebook posts and, after the government quit, urged demonstrators to show restraint and avoid damage to public and private property.
• The movement started over a ban on 26 social platforms and broadened into an anti-corruption drive that saw attacks on party offices and politicians’ residences.
• Reports cite at least 19 deaths and hundreds injured in clashes, as Shah’s 2022 independent mayoral win and confrontational anti-graft record elevate his national profile.