Nepal Appoints First Woman as Interim Prime Minister

Nepal’s former chief justice, Sushila Karki, has been appointed as the country’s first woman prime minister after days of violent protests forced Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign.

The 73-year-old, known for her integrity and anti-corruption stance, was sworn in on Friday following an announcement by President Ram Chandra Paudel. Karki said she accepted the role after young protesters, known as the “Gen Z movement,” urged her to lead an interim government and hold fresh elections.

Deadly unrest erupted earlier this week after police cracked down on anti-corruption demonstrations sparked by a ban on social media. At least 51 people were killed in the worst violence since Nepal’s civil war ended in 2006 and the monarchy was abolished in 2008. Protesters set fire to parliament, government buildings, and even a hotel, while more than 12,000 prisoners escaped from jails nationwide.

The army enforced a curfew in Kathmandu and other cities, with General Ashok Raj Sigdel holding emergency talks with political leaders and protest representatives. Security forces have since recovered more than 100 stolen weapons, though thousands of escaped prisoners remain at large.

Karki, who served as Nepal’s first female chief justice from 2016 to 2017, built a reputation for standing firm against political pressure. She once jailed a serving minister for corruption and resisted government interference in judicial matters. Supporters say her integrity and courage make her the right choice to lead Nepal through its current crisis.

In a past speech, she openly encouraged youth to step into politics, saying she was “100 percent in favor of young people leading change.”

Protesters, many of them students and unemployed youth, have rallied behind Karki. “We started this movement so we could make a better Nepal,” said James Karki, a 24-year-old demonstrator. “And I am positive that the army will listen.”