Former Nepalese Chief Justice Sushila Karki was sworn in as prime minister on Friday to lead a transition after this week's violent protests forced her predecessor to resign.
Karki, 73, became the country's first female head of government and will initially lead the government until legislative elections are held in March.
The judge took office dressed in a red sari at a ceremony before President Ram Chandra Paudel and a small group of guests, after a week of chaos in this Himalayan country.
“Congratulations! We wish you and the country success,” the president told Karki after the swearing-in ceremony, broadcast on state television. As soon as he took office, the president ordered the dissolution of parliament and set the date for parliamentary elections on March 5, 2026, his spokeswoman Kiran Pokharel told AFP.
The dissolution of Parliament was among the main demands of the "Generation Z" youth movement that led the protests. This country of 30 million people is in turmoil after authorities brutally repressed demonstrations against the government's decision to block social media and against corruption.
At least 51 people died during the unrest, which began on Monday, police said in their latest report on Friday. “We did it. Honor to those who sacrificed their lives to make this moment possible,” the youth movement Hami Nepal (We Are Nepal) posted on Instagram.
The protests led to the departure of Prime Minister and Communist Party leader KP Sharma Oli, who resigned on Tuesday and whose whereabouts are unknown.
The 73-year-old had led the government four times since 2015 and for many disenchanted young Nepalis, he embodied the elite and corruption in the country.
On the day of his resignation, his residence was set on fire, along with the Parliament building, government buildings, a shopping mall, and a Hilton hotel. On Wednesday, the army took control of Kathmandu and restored calm.
Armed soldiers, accompanied by tanks and armored vehicles, were still patrolling the capital on Friday, where a curfew is in effect. The appointment of the judge, known for her independence, comes after two days of intense negotiations between the head of the army, General Ashok Raj Sigdel, and President Paul, in which representatives of the"Generation Z" protest movement also participated.
The wave of outrage was also fueled by Nepal's long-standing economic woes, where a fifth of the population aged 15 to 24 is unemployed, according to the World Bank, and per capita GDP is just $1,447.
“We want transparency from the government, quality education, and real employment opportunities and a decent life,” said James Karki, a 24-year-old activist who participated in the protests. During the unrest, some 13,500 inmates took advantage of the chaos to escape from prison. As of Friday, more than 12,500 remained at large, police spokesman Binod Ghimire told AFP.
