Nepal’s former Supreme Court Chief Justice, Sushila Karki, has emerged as the top choice to head an interim administration following mass protests that forced the prime minister from office, according to representatives of the “Gen Z” protest movement.
Army chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel met with key stakeholders, including protest leaders, on Wednesday to discuss the country’s political future, a military spokesperson confirmed. The military has been tasked with restoring order after Nepal experienced its deadliest unrest in two decades, which left parliament in flames and the government in disarray.
Rakshya Bam, one of the protest representatives present at the meeting, revealed that discussions with the army focused on ensuring stability and charting the way forward. “Right now, Sushila Karki’s name is coming up to lead the interim government. We are now waiting for the president to make a move,” Bam said.
Karki, 73, a respected academic and Nepal’s first female chief justice, told AFP that the parliament remained intact and urged experts to work collectively to find a solution. “Experts need to come together to figure out the way forward,” she said.
However, the push for Karki is not universally supported. The protest movement, which has no centralized leadership, remains divided. In a virtual meeting on Discord attended by thousands, participants debated different priorities and put forward multiple names as potential leaders. Journalist Pranaya Rana noted the fragmentation within the movement, observing that “in a decentralised movement like this, there are going to be competing interests and competing voices.”
Meanwhile, soldiers have maintained a heavy presence in Kathmandu, enforcing calm with checkpoints throughout the capital. Although the streets remained relatively quiet on Thursday, the atmosphere was tense after days of violent demonstrations.
The protests, which began on Monday over a government-imposed ban on social media and rising corruption, quickly spiraled into nationwide unrest. Public anger exploded after security forces launched a deadly crackdown, killing at least 19 people, and protesters retaliated by torching government buildings, including parliament.
What You Should Know
Nepal is in political turmoil after protests, led largely by young people, toppled the prime minister and plunged the country into its worst unrest in decades.
Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki has been floated as a possible interim leader, but divisions within the protest movement and continued military involvement highlight the uncertainty surrounding the country’s political future.
