Nepal Parliament Burning?

Nepal Parliament Burning? It started as a rumour. A shaky video clip, whispers travelling across timelines: “Nepal’s parliament is burning.” For a country that has seen its fair share of political upheaval, the suggestion was enough to send hearts racing. But the truth, as so often happens in times of chaos, was different.

The parliament itself had not been set ablaze. Instead, what erupted outside its gates was a youth-led uprising that turned Kathmandu into a battleground. And Nepal wasn’t alone. Across the globe in 2025, parliamentary buildings or the symbols surrounding them were literally and metaphorically on fire. From South Asia to Southeast Asia, from the islands of the Pacific to war-torn Eastern Europe and crisis-stricken West Africa, flames consumed legislative chambers in ways that spoke volumes about the fragility of governance.

Nepal: Protest Flames at the Gates of Parliament

On 4 September 2025, Nepal’s government banned 26 social media platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, X, and LinkedIn. The reasoning was bureaucratic: platforms had failed to register under new digital rules. But for young Nepalis, especially Gen Z, the move felt authoritarian, an attempt to silence voices.

Kathmandu’s streets filled with protesters. Students, activists, and everyday citizens marched towards Maitighar Mandala and the Federal Parliament in New Baneshwor.

Police met them with water cannons, tear gas, rubber bullets, and even live rounds. An ambulance was torched outside parliament, smoke rising ominously against the building’s backdrop. At least 19 people were killed, and hundreds injured.

So, was Nepal’s parliament burning? No. But symbolically, yes. The flames outside were fuelled by anger at censorship and the fear that democracy was slipping away.

Indonesia: Regional Parliaments Go Up in Flames

Thousands of kilometres away, Indonesia saw its own legislatures engulfed in fire not in Jakarta, but across the provinces.

By late August 2025, at least 37 regional parliament buildings (DPRD) in 19 provinces had been attacked, many set ablaze. The spark? Lawmakers’ 50-million rupiah (US$3,075) monthly housing allowances. For citizens struggling with daily costs, the perks symbolised elite privilege.

In Makassar, South Sulawesi, the flames turned deadly. Protesters torched the DPRD building, and three people died trapped inside. Other parliaments in West Nusa Tenggara, Pekalongan, and Cirebon were also damaged.

The national parliament in Jakarta remained intact. But the fires told their own story: citizens turning fury on the structures meant to represent them.

Ukraine: A Government Under Fire Literally

In Ukraine, flames came from the sky. On 7 September 2025, Russia launched its largest air assault of the war. One missile struck the Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv, steps from the Verkhovna Rada (parliament).

Television footage showed black smoke billowing as firefighters battled the blaze. Though not parliament itself, the symbolism was devastating: an attempt to cripple governance by setting its machinery alight.

Civilians died, the government kept functioning, and Ukraine again pressed allies for stronger air defences. For Kyiv residents, the fire was a reminder that even democracy’s heart can be struck at its core.

Marshall Islands: Nitijela Reduced to Ashes

Far from Europe’s war, in the Marshall Islands, the fire was no less symbolic. On 26 August 2025, flames gutted the Nitijela, the national parliament in Majuro. By morning, only charred walls remained.

Decades of archives, transcripts, and cultural artefacts were gone. For a nation of 60,000, the loss felt personal. Sessions shifted to the nearby International Conference Centre while reconstruction expected to last until August 2026 began.

“It was our heart,” one local leader said. The fire robbed the islands not just of a building, but of a piece of their democratic identity.

Liberia: Flames Amid Political Deadlock

Not every fire came in 2025. In December 2024, Liberia’s parliament in Monrovia burned twice in one week as protests over disputed elections paralysed the country.

The fires gutted offices and deepened the political deadlock. No casualties were reported, but the symbolism was unmistakable: democracy itself felt fragile, its very house smouldering.

By 2025, Liberia was still trying to rebuild not only its parliament but also trust in its political system.

Timeline of Parliament Fires and Attacks

Why Do Parliaments Burn?

Looking across these cases, a pattern emerges. Parliament buildings are not just stone and glass; they are symbols of authority, legitimacy, and belonging. When they burn, the flames are messages:

• In Nepal, anger at censorship.
• In Indonesia, fury at inequality.
• In Ukraine, a missile aimed at sovereignty.
• In the Marshall Islands, the erasure of cultural memory.
• In Liberia, the fragility of democracy itself.

Whether sparked by protest, by war, or by accident, parliament fires speak to a deeper crisis of trust in governance.

Rebuilding Walls, Rebuilding Trust

Bricks can be replaced. Archives can be digitised. Chambers can be repainted. The Marshall Islands will have a new Nitijela by 2026. Liberia has pledged repairs. Ukraine continues to rebuild, even under fire.

But rebuilding trust is harder. Citizens in Nepal, Indonesia, Liberia, and beyond are demanding accountability and transparency. When that trust falters, flames follow.

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In 2025, the image of parliaments burning has become a global motif. The question isn’t only whether walls can be rebuilt, but whether the democratic promise they represent can withstand the heat.

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