Who’s leading Nepal after Oli resignation, what’s next for Gen Z protests?

Nepal’s military has taken over the streets of the capital, Kathmandu, in a bid to end two days of protests against corruption that rapidly escalated into a full-blown public revolt against the country’s political elite, culminating in Prime Minister KP Oli’s resignation on Tuesday.

At least 19 people were killed in clashes with security forces on Monday that further inflamed protesters, who on Tuesday set the country’s Parliament building on fire while also torching the homes of several prominent politicians.
On Wednesday, amid a curfew, the Nepali army ordered people to stay at home.

Yet with Oli no longer prime minister, questions about Nepal’s political future are growing, especially with the Gen Z protesters who forced his removal unwilling to settle for a replacement prime minister from the current parliament.

So who is in charge in Nepal at the moment – and what happens next?

What happened in Nepal?
Youth-led “Gen Z” protests began in Kathmandu and other cities of Nepal on Monday.

The demonstrations were against corruption scandals in the country and were prompted by rising anger online towards the children of Nepali government officials – dubbed “Nepo kids” – who document their lavish lifestyles online. The protests broke out days after the country blocked more than 20 social media sites for not complying with government rules. This ban has since been lifted.

A few hours into the protest on Monday, demonstrators broke through police barricades and entered Parliament premises. Some people defied a curfew ordered by authorities. The police ended up shooting live rounds at the protesters, killing at least 19 people and injuring more than 100.On Tuesday, curfews were imposed in several districts of Nepal. However, protesters defied the curfew orders and set fire to government buildings, including the parliament, alongside the office of the country’s leading daily news media organisation, Kantipur Publications.

Oli, who was elected as PM for the fourth time last year, announced his resignation. Other ministers in Nepal also resigned from their posts.