Sushila Karki, Nepal’s only woman to have served as Chief Justice, was on Friday sworn in as the country’s interim Prime Minister, breaking a deadlock that had paralysed politics for weeks after the collapse of the K P Sharma Oli government.
Her elevation followed marathon parleys between Karki, President Ramchandra Paudel, Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel and leaders of the youth-driven Gen-Z protest movement, which had shaken the nation and forced sweeping political concessions. The agreement ended uncertainty after weeks of violent unrest that left at least 51 people dead and more than 1,300 injured.
Karki, 73, was administered the oath of office by President Paudel at Sheetal Niwas, the presidential palace. “Her appointment is being hailed as a step toward restoring stability after days of chaos,” a senior political figure maintained.
The decision to bring in a neutral figure was sealed only after intense dialogue with youth leaders, who have spearheaded the protests triggered by a controversial social media ban, later withdrawn, that spiralled into violent clashes across Kathmandu and beyond. The protests, the deadliest in recent years, pushed Oli to resign and created space for a non-partisan interim leadership.
Besides Karki, names floated for the top job included Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, former electricity authority chief Kulman Ghising, and Dharan mayor Harka Raj Sampang Rai. However, Karki emerged as the consensus candidate owing to her reputation for integrity and her uncompromising stand against corruption during her tenure in the judiciary.
Also read: Nepal unrest death toll hits 51, Sushila Karki eyed as interim PM
As part of the compromise, Nepal’s Parliament will be dissolved. Sources indicated that Karki would first be nominated to the upper house before formally assuming the premiership, an arrangement framed to stay within the provisions of the 2015 Constitution.
Her immediate task will be the formation of an interim Council of Ministers, though officials suggested the cabinet would be small at the outset, with the names of its members kept under wraps. Political observers noted that her stewardship will face severe tests, from calming public anger to addressing political demands and navigating heightened international scrutiny.
Earlier in the day, doubts lingered over whether the deal would hold, with reports suggesting resistance within certain factions. The breakthrough came after President Paudel personally engaged with both the youth leaders and senior officials, paving the way for the swearing-in.
Karki, who studied at Banaras Hindu University before embarking on her legal career, remains Nepal’s first and only female Chief Justice. Her rise to the premiership has been framed by many as a moment of historic significance for both gender representation and political reconciliation.
The Gen-Z movement, despite its violent edge, has brought generational voices to the fore in Nepal’s politics. The coming weeks will determine whether the interim leadership under Karki can stabilise the country or whether turbulence will return to the streets.
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