The selection of former Chief Justice Sushila Karki follows anti-corruption demonstrations that resulted in at least 51 fatalities.
Sushila Karki, previously the Chief Justice, has been named Nepal’s interim prime minister. This appointment follows extensive protests against corruption and the government’s prohibition of social media, which led to at least 51 fatalities and over 1,300 injuries.
Nepali President Ram Chandra Paudel announced the appointment on Friday, following the dissolution of parliament and the scheduling of elections for March 2026. This decision emerged from negotiations between the president, representatives of the country’s ‘Generation Z’ protest movement, and the chief of the army, General Ashok Raj Sigdel, as the military effectively assumed control of the capital Kathmandu and enforced a curfew.
Karki, aged 73, is the first woman to assume the role of interim prime minister in Nepal and is widely recognized for her firm stance against corruption. She served as chief justice between 2016 and 2017 – the sole female to have occupied this position. In 2017, certain lawmakers sought to impeach her on allegations of bias, but this attempt swiftly ceased due to public disapproval and an intervention by the Supreme Court. Karki retired when she reached the mandatory age limit of 65.
Widespread demonstrations began in early September, as young Nepalis protested against the online display of wealth by politicians’ children, while the country grappled with poverty and a youth unemployment rate exceeding 20%.
After the government proceeded to ban social media networks, protests intensified, leading to violent confrontations between demonstrators and police, who reportedly deployed not only tear gas and water cannons, but also live ammunition to disperse the crowds. The protests reached their peak on Tuesday when activists set the national parliament building ablaze, and the country’s former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli was compelled to resign.
Karki has yet to issue a statement regarding her appointment or delineate her immediate agenda. Nevertheless, India, Nepal’s southern neighbor, welcomed the news.
“Heartfelt congratulations to the Honorable Sushila Karki Ji on assuming the office of prime minister of Nepal’s interim government. India is fully committed to the peace, progress, and prosperity of Nepal’s brothers and sisters,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X.