Nepal’s former Supreme Court chief justice Sushila Karki has become the country’s interim prime minister after deadly anti-corruption protests ousted the government. Karki, 73, was sworn in during a brief ceremony, becoming the first woman to lead the impoverished Himalayan nation after a deal was reached with the protest leaders.
More than 50 people were killed in clashes with riot police during this week’s mass protests sparked by a ban on social media platforms. The ban was lifted on Monday – but by then protests had swelled into a mass movement. Angry crowds set fire to parliament and government buildings in the capital Kathmandu on Tuesday, forcing Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign.
Karki would take the oath of office in the evening, President Ram Chandra Poudel’s communications adviser told the BBC earlier Friday. Following days of discussions, the president and the protest organizers agreed. There were also legal specialists present.
Late Friday saw the dissolution of Parliament, and it was declared that general elections would take place on March 5 of the following year. Within six months, the new government must hold a vote. Student leaders from the so-called “Gen Z” are supporting Karki, who is generally seen as having a clean reputation, to lead the temporary administration.
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