Nepal has named Sushila Karki as its first female interim prime minister. Her appointment follows a period of deadly anti-corruption protests that led to the collapse of the previous government.
Karki, a 73-year-old former chief justice of the Supreme Court, was sworn into office in Kathmandu. Her new government has the key task of holding general elections within six months. The appointment came after President Ram Chandra Poudel reached an agreement with protest leaders.
The political turmoil was sparked by a government ban on several social media platforms. The ban led to large-scale demonstrations, particularly by young people.
Despite the ban being lifted, the protests escalated and turned violent, with crowds burning government buildings and forcing the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
More than 50 people were killed in the clashes with riot police during the past week’s unrest. The protests were fueled by a broader anger over corruption and “nepo kid” campaigns on social media, which highlighted the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ children.
Karki is widely seen as a figure of integrity and is supported by student leaders from the “Gen Z” movement. She has a reputation for a clean image and a strong stance against corruption, a key demand of the protesters.
The army has been deployed in Kathmandu to maintain order as the country begins to recover from its worst unrest in decades.
