Nepal’s new interim prime minister, Sushila Karki, officially began her work Sunday, vowing to follow protesters’ demands to “end corruption” after “Gen Z” youth demonstrations forced her predecessor from power. The 73-year-old former chief justice has been tasked with restoring order and addressing the protesters’ call for a corruption-free future ahead of elections in six months.
The protests, which began Monday over a ban on social media, quickly escalated, with parliament and other key government buildings set ablaze. The unrest was fueled by long-standing economic problems in Nepal. “We have to work according to the thinking of the Gen Z generation,” Karki said in her first public comments since taking office on Friday. According to the World Bank, a fifth of Nepalis aged 15-24 are unemployed, and the country’s GDP per capita stands at just $1,447. “What this group is demanding is the end of corruption, good governance, and economic equality,” she added. “You and I have to be determined to fulfill that.”
‘From the Streets’
On Sunday, Karki held a minute’s silence for those killed in the unrest before beginning meetings in the Singha Durbar government complex, where several buildings were torched during mass protests on Tuesday. The government’s chief secretary, Eaknarayan Aryal, said at least 72 people were killed in the two days of protests, increasing an earlier toll of 51. It was the worst unrest since the end of a decade-long civil war and the abolition of the monarchy in 2008.
Karki’s appointment, a figure known for her independence, came after intense negotiations led by army chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel and President Ram Chandra Paudel, which included representatives of the “Gen Z” protest movement. Thousands of young activists had used the Discord app to nominate Karki as their preferred leader. “The situation that I have come in, I have not wished to come here. My name was brought from the streets,” Karki said.
Parliament has been dissolved, and elections are set for March 5, 2026. “We will not stay here more than six months in any situation; we will complete our responsibilities and pledge to hand over to the next parliament and ministers,” she stated in a speech to the nation.
‘Challenging Times’
Workers were seen putting up a new sign for the prime minister’s office in a building within the complex that was not set on fire. President Paudel, who swore in Karki, said late Saturday that “a peaceful solution has been found through a difficult process.” He described the situation in the Himalayan nation of 30 million people as “very difficult, complicated, and grave.” He urged everyone to “make the most of this opportunity… in making the election on March 5 a success.”
Soldiers have reduced their presence on the streets after being deployed in large numbers during the protests. However, more than 12,500 prisoners who escaped from jails during the chaos remain at large, presenting a significant security challenge.
Regional leaders have congratulated Karki, including those from Nepal’s two giant neighbors, India and China. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said New Delhi supported “peace, progress and prosperity” in Hindu-majority Nepal, while Beijing’s foreign ministry said it wanted to “push China-Nepal relations steadily forward.” The Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, also wished Karki “every success in fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the people of Nepal in these challenging times.”
