Nepal appoints first woman prime minister on interim basis as calm restored following Gen-Z protests

Published on 13/09/2025 - 15:49 GMT+2

Nepal's first female premier curate was sworn into agency connected Friday connected an interim basis, arsenic calm has returned to nan state pursuing wide protests that caused nan erstwhile authorities to collapse. On Saturday, authorities lifted a curfew implemented earlier successful nan week successful nan country's superior and surrounding areas.

President Ram Chandra Poudel appointed erstwhile Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki arsenic interim premier curate and nan first female to caput nan Himalayan nation's government.

Poudel besides group 5 March arsenic nan day for elections based connected nan proposal of nan caller premier minister. The astir caller legislative elections were held successful 2022.

Karki, a celebrated figure, was nan only female main justness successful 2016 and 2017 who was known for her stance against authorities corruption during this period. Some lawmakers unsuccessfully tried to impeach her successful 2017 amid accusations of bias. The effort to impeach had been criticised arsenic an onslaught connected nan judiciary.

On her first day, Karki visited injured protesters astatine nan Civil Hospital successful nan capital, pledging to do what's champion for nan country, "I will activity pinch everything I have," she said.

Street demonstrations, dubbed nan 'Gen Z protest,' collapsed retired successful nan country's superior Kathmandu connected Monday. A societal media prohibition imposed by nan authorities nan erstwhile week had been nan last straw for Nepal's youth, who expressed broader grievances pinch nan authorities complete a scope of issues, mostly to do pinch corruption, unemployment, and vexation pinch nan country's governmental elite.

Many young group besides expressed anger complete nan lavish manner governmental leaders and their children, who they telephone 'nepo kids', look to enjoy, which they often flaunted connected societal media, while astir younker struggle to find work.

Tens of thousands of protesters blocked roads, stormed authorities facilities, and torched authorities buildings, including nan parliament, politicians' homes, and businesses.

Violence complete nan past week besides resulted successful 51 deaths, galore of whom were protesters killed by constabulary fire. Other were inmates trying to break retired of nan main jailhouse successful cardinal Kathmandu aft they overpowered constabulary guards and group occurrence to buildings pinch cells and defender houses. Three constabulary officers were besides killed, authorities reported.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli resigned and fled his charismatic residence. It marked nan commencement of negotiations betwixt protesters, nan army, and nan president complete an interim government.

The curfew, which was enforced by nan subject precocious Tuesday and gave residents a fewer hours per time to time off their homes to bargain essentials, was lifted by Nepalese authorities connected Saturday.

Nepalese nine has mostly returned to its accustomed regular routine, and videos circulating connected societal media show protesters cleaning nan streets pursuing days of unrest.