Nepal has appointed former Supreme Court chief justice Sushila Karki as its interim prime minister, marking the first time a woman has assumed the country’s top political role.
The appointment follows a week of deadly anti-corruption protests that forced the resignation of the sitting government.
The 73-year-old was sworn in during a brief ceremony after an agreement was reached between the government and protest leaders. Her appointment comes amid nationwide unrest that has left more than 50 people dead in clashes between demonstrators and riot police.
The protests were initially triggered by a ban on 26 social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram. Though the ban was lifted on Monday, the unrest had already grown into a sweeping movement fueled by public anger over corruption and political elitism.
On Tuesday, demonstrators stormed and set fire to the Singha Durbar palace in Kathmandu, which houses parliament and key government offices, prompting Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to step down.
President Ram Chandra Poudel’s press adviser told the BBC earlier on Friday that Karki would be sworn in later that evening. Her appointment followed days of negotiations involving protest leaders, legal experts, and the president’s office.
Later that night, parliament was dissolved, and general elections were scheduled for 5 March next year. Karki is expected to appoint ministers to her interim cabinet within days.
Known for her clean image, Karki has earned backing from student leaders associated with the “Gen Z” movement, who have been at the forefront of the demonstrations. However, her administration faces daunting challenges, including restoring law and order, rebuilding damaged government infrastructure, and reassuring both young protesters demanding reform and citizens fearful for the country’s fragile democratic framework.
One of her key responsibilities will be to bring those involved in the recent violence to justice. Her appointment is seen as a compromise solution, reportedly brokered by Nepal’s army chief.
On Tuesday, Karki visited the main protest site in Kathmandu, where 19 people were killed in clashes with police a day earlier. She also met with several injured protesters being treated in hospital.
Karki hails from a family closely linked to the Koirala political dynasty of the Nepali Congress party and later married Durga Subedi, then the party leader. She has credited her husband’s support for her rise from a legal career to her appointment as chief justice in 2016.
However, her tenure in the judiciary was not without controversy, having faced an impeachment attempt during her nearly 11 months as chief justice.
As of Friday, Nepal’s military remains deployed across the capital, with curfews and movement restrictions only briefly lifted to allow residents to purchase essential supplies.
The protests began last week after the government imposed a sweeping ban on social media platforms. But public anger had already been simmering, largely driven by a viral “nepo kid” campaign highlighting the opulent lifestyles of politicians’ children and widespread allegations of corruption.
Although the social media ban was rescinded on Monday night, the movement had already gathered unstoppable momentum by then.
Source: BBC
SMS/
