Karki, a former Supreme Court Chief Justice, has made history as Nepal’s first female Prime Minister, appointed after mass anti-corruption protests.
Her name gained traction on the platform Discord, where Gen Z protestors organized leadership polls after the government collapsed.
Known for her anti-corruption rulings and independence, Karki previously survived an impeachment attempt and was active in Nepal’s democratic movement of the 1990s.
Sushila Karki : The Former Chief Justice Leading Nepal Through Crisis as Interim Prime Minister
At 73, Sushila Karki becomes Nepal’s first woman to serve as Prime Minister, stepping into leadership amid historic protests, political collapse, and a digital youth uprising that chose her through online consensus.
Summary
Sushila Karki, former Chief Justice of Nepal’s Supreme Court, has been appointed as the interim Prime Minister following the resignation of KP Sharma Oli and several members of his cabinet amid widespread anti-corruption protests. At 73, Karki becomes the first woman to hold the position of Prime Minister in Nepal’s history.
Her appointment comes after a wave of mass protests across the country, triggered by the government’s temporary ban on popular social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. The demonstrations, largely driven by youth, particularly members of the Gen Z demographic, quickly evolved into broader calls for government accountability, economic reform, and an end to systemic corruption.
At least 51 people were killed and more than 1,300 injured during the unrest. Protestors set fire to multiple government buildings, including the Singha Durbar, Nepal’s central administrative complex. Businesses and media offices were also damaged. Following the escalation, the military imposed a nationwide curfew and took temporary control of the capital.
After the resignation of the previous government, members of the protest movement reportedly used the communication platform Discord to discuss possible interim leadership. According to reports from local and international media outlets, several polls were conducted within Discord servers involving thousands of participants. Karki emerged as a preferred candidate, cited frequently for her legal background and perceived impartiality.
The decision to appoint Karki was reached through coordination between President Ramchandra Paudel, Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel, and representatives of the protest movement. She was officially sworn in on 12 September 2025. One of her first actions as interim Prime Minister was to dissolve the existing parliament and schedule general elections for 5 March 2026.
Sushila Karki previously served as Chief Justice of Nepal from 2016 to 2017. During her tenure, she oversaw several significant rulings, including the conviction of a sitting minister on corruption charges and a decision overturning the government’s appointment of a police chief. In 2017, an impeachment motion was filed against her by members of the then-ruling parties, but it was withdrawn following intervention by the Supreme Court and public demonstrations supporting judicial independence.
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Karki and her husband, Durga Prasad Subedi, were involved in Nepal’s 1990 People’s Movement, which ended absolute monarchy and introduced multiparty democracy. She was imprisoned during that period and later authored a novel titled Kara based on her experience. Subedi was also imprisoned at the time for alleged involvement in a Royal Nepal Airlines hijacking that was intended to fund the anti-monarchy movement.
Since taking office, Karki has made visits to hospitals treating those injured in the protests and has called for the restoration of law and order. Government institutions in Kathmandu are gradually reopening, with banks, courts, and administrative offices resuming limited operations.
Karki’s interim government is expected to remain in place until the scheduled elections in March 2026. No official cabinet appointments have been announced as of yet.
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