Nepal has appointed its first female prime minister, following a week of fiery protests that collapsed the previous government.
Former Supreme Court chief justice Sushila Karki took the oath of office to lead an interim government late on Friday.
The 73-year-old was known for her stand against corruption in the government while in office serving as the court’s only female chief justice in 2016 and 2017.
Some lawmakers tried to impeach her in April 2017, accusing her of bias, but the move was unsuccessful and was criticised at the time as an attack on the judiciary.
It comes after more than 50 people were killed in clashes with riot police this week, as Nepal was engulfed by unrest after the government abruptly banned 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X (Twitter), in an attempt to silence criticism.
The ban only deepened frustration among young Nepalis already disillusioned by corruption, unemployment and a political elite seen as unaccountable.
The social media ban was lifted on Monday, but protesters then set fire to parliament and government buildings in the capital Kathmandu on Tuesday – forcing prime minister KP Sharma Oli to resign.
Many of the people that died in the riots were protesters killed by police fire and some were inmates trying to break out of a jail in the capital, Kathmandu. Three police officers also were among the dead, police said.
The military has enforced a curfew since late Tuesday, with residents given a few hours per day to leave their homes to buy food and supplies while soldiers guard the streets of Kathmandu.
This is not the first time the Himalayan nation banned social media, in 2023 it banned TikTok, accusing it of spreading indecent material and threatening “social harmony”. But the decision was reversed last year when the social media giant pledged compliance with local rules.
In recent weeks, TikTok videos showcasing the lavish lifestyles of political families’ children had fuelled resentment in the country. The government’s failure to pursue corruption cases and an unemployment rate of 20 per cent among youth deepened the anger.
The protests are some of the deadliest Nepal has seen in decades, with more fatalities than the 2006 uprising that forced the monarchy to cede power and led to the eventual abolition of the crown two years later.
Earlier this year, royalist rallies in Kathmandu left two people dead after clashes with police.
Following Mr Oli’s resignation, protesters have continued to call for the government itself to be dissolved, raising fears of further instability in a country that has seen 13 administrations since 2008.
However, Karki is being supported by young people to lead the interim government.
On Tuesday she visited the protest site in Kathmandu, where 19 people had died the day before. Karki also met with some of the injured who were being treated in hospital.
She was born into a family with close contacts with the Koirala political dynasty from the country’s largest democratic party Nepali Congress. She married Durga Subedi – a former youth leader of the Nepali Congress.
