On Sunday, September 14, 2025, Nepal witnessed the installation of Sushila Karki, a 73-year-old former Chief Justice, as interim Prime Minister. She took office charged with a clear mandate from the streets: to heed protesters’ demands to end corruption and to steer the country toward fairer governance and economic justice. Her arrival in power followed mass demonstrations led largely by young people — a movement widely associated with Generation Z — that forced the resignation of the previous administration and left the capital still reeling from two days of violent unrest.
Karki’s charge is immediate and symbolic. She assumed leadership after urgent negotiations involving the president, the army chief and representatives of the youth movement, whose protests had erupted into violent confrontations with security forces. In her opening remarks as head of the caretaker government, she stressed that her elevation was not of her own seeking. “My name was brought from the streets,” she said, acknowledging the role that activists and online organising had played in pressing for change and about her obligation to listen to the younger generation’s priorities.
The unrest began on Monday, September 8, when a sudden ban on major social media platforms prompted waves of protest. Initially framed as an objection to restrictions on digital expression, the demonstrations quickly grew to encompass broader grievances: perceived corruption among officials, fraying public services, scant employment prospects for youth and widening economic inequality. Within days, what started as digital dissent spilled into mass marches, sit-ins and clashes across towns and cities, drawing thousands who demanded swift, systemic change.
The situation deteriorated rapidly. Demonstrations escalated into confrontations that turned deadly, with security responses and chaotic street clashes contributing to a mounting casualty toll. By the time Karki took charge, official figures recorded at least seventy-two fatalities and around one hundred ninety-one people wounded — a significant rise from earlier counts — along with extensive material damage. Key government sites, including portions of the Singha Durbar complex, were set alight during the turmoil, leaving municipal corridors scarred by smoke and debris.
Faced with widespread violence and political paralysis, senior officials including President Ram Chandra Paudel and Army chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel engaged with protest representatives and political stakeholders in an effort to find a way forward. Their talks produced an arrangement for an interim administration to stabilise the country and prepare for a return to electoral politics. As part of the transitional plan, Parliament was dissolved and a date was set for national elections on March 5, 2026. Karki reiterated her temporary mandate, pledging to complete caretaker responsibilities and hand power to a newly elected legislature after the vote.
Karki’s selection carried weight beyond immediate governance; it was a deliberate choice to put an independent, respected jurist in charge at a moment of crisis. Her past reputation for judicial impartiality and her distance from partisan politics made her acceptable to a broad spectrum of actors, including elements within the security establishment and the movement that had risen from the streets. Digital channels such as Discord were reportedly used enthusiastically by activists to propose and debate candidates, underscoring how online networks have become central to mobilisation among Nepal’s youth.
On her first full day as interim prime minister, Karki observed a minute of silence for those who lost their lives amid the unrest and inspected damage at Singha Durbar, where staff and officials were coordinating recovery work. She outlined immediate priorities: re-establish public safety, ensure accountability for violence, relieve humanitarian needs, and embark on measures to confront entrenched corruption. Those commitments were framed as necessary steps to restore trust in institutions and to address the grievances that had propelled thousands into the streets.
The protest movement’s grievances have firm socio-economic roots. Youth unemployment is a pressing concern: a substantial share of people aged 15 to 24 are out of formal employment, and many others rely on insecure or informal work. Per capita income in Nepal remains modest, and constrained opportunities have fuelled a sense among younger cohorts that they face limited prospects for improving living standards. For many protesters, the social media ban was not merely about online speech but a catalyst that exposed deeper discontent over governance, transparency and access to opportunity.
The interim administration’s challenges are immediate and complex. Restoring order without escalating tensions further, managing the legal and humanitarian fallout of the protests, and beginning the process of institutional repair will test the government’s capacity. One especially daunting issue is the reported mass escape of prisoners during the disturbance: officials say more than 12,500 inmates fled custody, posing a serious security concern that must be addressed as part of restoring normalcy.
Rebuilding damaged infrastructure and reopening essential public services will be a practical test for the caretaker team. Ministries, courts and local government offices need to resume functioning while investigations into incidents of arson, looting and excessive force proceed. The administration has announced relief packages and medical assistance for victims, both measures aimed at addressing immediate needs and signalling compassion for those affected by the turmoil. Yet material remedies alone may not heal deeper wounds or satisfy demands for enduring institutional reform.
Translating street-level anger into credible policy responses will be crucial. The movement’s central calls — for the eradication of corruption, strengthened governance, and expanded economic opportunity — require substantive, verifiable action. Potential steps include bolstering anti-corruption bodies, improving transparency in procurement and public finance, and introducing targeted programmes to promote job creation, especially for young people in regions with limited economic activity. Any such measures must be measurable and implemented with oversight if they are to persuade a sceptical public that reforms are genuine.
The human cost has been severe and immediate: families of the deceased and the injured are coping with loss, trauma and uncertainty. The interim authorities have recognised the need for compensation and care, announcing support for victims’ relatives and medical aid for those wounded. While these steps are essential for short-term relief, officials and civic leaders recognise that long-term reconciliation will require truth, accountability and systemic changes to prevent future violence.
Political reactions within Nepal have been mixed. Some established parties have criticised the dissolution of Parliament and raised constitutional concerns, while others have accepted the interim arrangement as a pragmatic response to a breakdown in public order. President Paudel, who played a central role in brokering the caretaker setup, described the process as painful but necessary to salvage constitutional governance and to pave the way for national elections that could restore democratic legitimacy.
Nepal’s neighbours have watched developments closely. Diplomatic messages from India and China offered congratulations on the appointment of the interim prime minister while urging restraint, stability and dialogue. Both urged a peaceful transition.
International rights groups have called for impartial investigations into the deaths and allegations of abuse during crowd-control operations. Transparent inquiries, public disclosure of findings and accountability for wrongdoing are seen as central to rebuilding confidence in the rule of law. Observers argue that independent scrutiny will bolster the legitimacy of any anti-corruption initiatives launched by the interim administration and provide a foundation for credible reform.
Economically, the interim period will require balancing immediate stabilisation needs with policies aimed at job creation and growth. Measures such as vocational training initiatives, support for small and medium enterprises, and incentives to attract investment in labour-intensive sectors could help address youth unemployment. At the same time, fiscal discipline will be important to maintain macroeconomic stability even as targeted spending is directed toward recovery and employment measures.
The March 5, 2026 election looms as a critical juncture. It offers the electorate a chance to translate the protesters’ demands into political mandates and to reshape the country’s leadership. Karki has pledged to hand over power after the vote, underscoring the caretaker nature of her government. But the interim period will be judged by whether it can stabilise the situation, initiate reforms, and create conditions for a free, fair and credible election.
The unrest has revived questions about Nepal’s political evolution since the end of its civil conflict and the abolition of the monarchy in 2008. Recurrent episodes of instability and public dissatisfaction have undercut confidence in institutions, and many young citizens, who did not experience the pre-republican era firsthand, are impatient for tangible improvements in governance and livelihood prospects.
If the interim administration, civic organisations and the new generation of activists can convert their current momentum into concrete institutional change, Nepal may emerge from this episode with stronger institutions and renewed civic engagement. If meaningful reforms are not implemented, however, the risk remains that grievances will fester, potentially producing further unrest beyond the scheduled March elections.
For now, the country stands at a crossroads. The decisions made during the coming months will determine whether the energy that erupted on the streets can be channelled into lasting reform or whether it will dissipate, leaving unresolved issues to resurface in a future crisis.
