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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/12/nepal-appoints-its-first-female-pm-after-historic-week-of-deadly-protests>
"Nepal has sworn in its first female prime minister after a historic week in
which widespread youth protests forced the resignation of her predecessor and
the dissolving of parliament.
Sushila Karki, the former chief justice of Nepal, took the oath of office late
on Friday, after several tense days of negotiation. Karki will lead an interim
government until fresh elections take place in March next year.
Karki, a widely respected figure known for her hardline stand against
corruption, had been nominated by a group who said they represented the
self-described gen Z protesters who brought down the government earlier this
week.
Tens of thousands of protesters, the majority of them below the age of 30, took
to the streets on Monday to voice their opposition to a clumsily enforced ban
on social media sites as well as bigger issues of corruption and nepotism among
Nepal’s political elite.
Police responded with deadly force, including documented use of live
ammunition. Twenty-one civilians taking part in the demonstrations were killed
on what became the bloodiest day of protest in Nepal’s history.
By Tuesday, rage at the government had reached a fever pitch and the country’s
parliament buildings, as well as the homes of the prime minister – KP Sharma
Oli – president and other ministers were all set on fire and the capital,
Kathmandu, resembled a burned out war zone. Oli, who had been airlifted out by
the military, announced his resignation by Tuesday afternoon.
The resignation of the 73-year-old – who was serving his fourth term as prime
minister and was seen by many as authoritarian, corrupt and out of touch – was
widely celebrated by the gen Z protesters out on the streets. However, the
speed at which the protests had led to the toppling of the government also
presented issues. They had not been part of a coherent, organised group and did
not have a leader or group of representatives.
After the president and the army chief invited the gen Z protesters to be part
of the discussions on who should form the next government, a team of
representatives were chosen. By Wednesday, they had put forward Karki as their
choice to lead an interim government, and insisted that the current parliament
should be dissolved.
Karki had been appointed Nepal’s first female chief justice in 2016 and became
known for delivering several high-profile judgments against ministers and
senior police in corruption cases, coming into the crosshairs of the major
political parties as a result. After retiring, she had established herself as a
prominent figure in civil society, speaking out on issues of corruption and
political malpractices in Nepal.
Despite some divisions, by Wednesday the gen Z protesters rallied around Karki,
who had been outspoken against the lethal force used against protesters,
describing it as a “massacre”. She was also given the backing of the popular
young mayor of Kathamandu, rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, who is
widely revered among the younger generation."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
