Nepal PM Balen Shah Faces Gen Z Backlash As Driver's Self-Immolation Death Sparks Kathmandu Protests

Three months after taking office on a wave of youth support, Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah is facing a Gen Z backlash. Protests erupted after 25-year-old ride-share driver Ganesh Nepali died following self-immolation during a dispute linked to Kathmandu municipal police locking his motorcycle over parking enforcement. His death has become a rallying point for frustration over alleged administrative apathy, heavy-handed policing and the treatment of ordinary citizens. Demonstrators are demanding accountability, while opposition voices have called for Shah’s resignation. As the prime minister remains publicly silent, the crisis raises a stark question: is his youth-powered mandate beginning to fracture?