Nepal is set to swear in former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as the country’s new prime minister following days of violent anti-government protests that left at least 51 people dead and forced the resignation of the previous administration.
Karki, 73, who made history as Nepal’s first female chief justice, will take the oath of office Friday evening, the president’s office confirmed.
The Himalayan nation of 30 million people has been gripped by turmoil this week after security forces attempted to quell massive rallies led by young protesters demanding action against corruption and economic hardship. The clashes triggered Nepal’s deadliest unrest since the end of its civil war and the abolition of the monarchy in 2008.
Outgoing Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, 73, resigned on Tuesday amid growing pressure. His current whereabouts remain unknown.
“President Ram Chandra Paudel will appoint former chief justice Sushila Karki as the prime minister,” presidential press adviser Kiran Pokharel told AFP. He added that a new council of ministers would be formed after the swearing-in ceremony, scheduled for 9:00 p.m. (1515 GMT).
The military imposed a curfew and regained control of the streets on Wednesday. Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel and President Paudel later met with representatives of “Gen Z,” the youth-led protest movement that spearheaded the demonstrations.
“This is a moment of victory — the power vacuum has finally ended,” said Amrita Ban, one of the Gen Z protesters.
Another protester, Nimesh Shrestha, expressed support for Karki’s appointment, saying the demonstrators trust her leadership.
The unrest reflects deep-rooted frustrations over Nepal’s struggling economy, where one in five young people aged 15–24 is unemployed, according to the World Bank. The country’s GDP per capita remains low at $1,447.
