By Al Jazeera,Anna Good

Copyright dailydot

Nepal’s interim leader was decided after their current political unrest settled, and they voted for her through the social media website and app, Discord.

On Thursday, Sept 11, the constant turmoil of a new government nearly every year since 2008 seemed to have ended with a Gen Z uprising that left many buildings on fire. At least 72 protesters were killed last week by hired security in a country that has been accused of corruption, and faith in traditional parties had collapsed.

Consequently, many young citizens viewed mainstream politicians as discredited and incapable of reform. In response, they launched an unprecedented experiment: selecting a consensus leader via Discord, a U.S.-based free messaging platform originally built for gamers.

A digital debate for a country in chaos

Hami Nepal, a Gen Z activist group with over 160K members, organized the online gathering. Their Discord server, “Youth Against Corruption,” hosted debates with more than 10K participants, while another 6K tuned in through a mirrored YouTube livestream, according to reports by Al Jazeera.

Discord, while popular among gaming communities, also functions as a space for online conferences, breakout rooms, and live forums. There are voice channels and “stages” for panelist-style voice calls, making it a flexible venue for Nepal’s political debates. Though the Nepali government had banned the app earlier this month, protesters regained access following the unrest.

@aahana_yo Okay gen z? 🙌 #genzprotest #curruption #nepal #fyp #politicaltiktok ♬ original sound – Mr. Tim

Over several hours, participants questioned protest leaders, proposed reforms, and debated interim prime minister candidates as a community. The potential candidates were narrowed down to Dharan Mayor Harka Sampang, National Innovation Centre founder Mahabir Pun, independent politician Sagar Dhakal, YouTuber-advocate Rastra Bimochan Timalsina, and former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki.

Many Discord participants had also supported Kathmandu’s rapper-turned-mayor, Balen Shah, but moderators could not reach him during the debate. Later, Shah posted his endorsement of Karki on social media.

When the votes closed, Karki emerged as the winner, and on Friday, Sept 12, she took the oath of office as interim prime minister. During the 73-year-old leader’s swearing-in speech, she said, “The situation that I have come in, I have not wished to come here. My name was brought from the streets,” Karki said in her address. “We will not stay here more than six months in any situation. We will complete our responsibilities and pledge to hand over to the next parliament and ministers.”

Social media reactions and fact-checking efforts

Still, questions remain about how sustainable this model of digital democracy might be. Protesters themselves acknowledged that the process was often “trial and error,” according to Al Jazeera. Others warned of infiltration attempts, misinformation, and the risks of anonymous forums.

The Discord discussions quickly spilled onto other social media platforms, where participants fact-checked rumors in real-time. A special “fact checks” channel tackled misinformation about protest leaders.

Some forum members even floated restoring Nepal’s monarchy, though many dismissed those posts as sabotage. Others pressed protest leaders directly, questioning their legitimacy with comments like, “You made the agenda, but we don’t know you. How we can trust you is also another issue.”

People on TikTok have taken notice of the political vote that happened on a social media platform, of all things. Some are members of the Nepalese diaspora, while others are Americans taking notes.

@sheenakamalwrites Help us help you ♬ original sound – SHEENA KAMAL | Author

“Founding modders,” said one commenter on TikTok. “Took America 8 years, Nepal did it in 1 Month in a Discord server,” said another.

“Sometimes I forget that this is what modern revolutions are like and they’re not just sending letters and using muskets anymore,” pointed out a commenter.

One impressed user said, “I can’t believe these kids snatched their country back like this.”

“Reminder that all of these people are now technically founding fathers because of DISCORD 😭🙏” posted another social media user.

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