On September 12, 2025, 73-year-old Sushila Karki, the former chief justice of Nepal’s Supreme Court, was appointed interim prime minister of Nepal. Her rise followed mass protests triggered by an attempt to block social media platforms and broader anger at the government of Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli. According to the authorities, at least 72 people were killed in the unrest, and Oli resigned on September 8.
Karki’s candidacy was put forward by the protesters themselves and then backed in a vote on the “Hami Nepal” Discord server, which at that point had more than 140,000 participants. She was sworn in at the presidential palace the same day.
“My team and I are not here to enjoy power. We will not stay here for more than six months. We will hand responsibility to a new parliament. Without your support, we will not succeed,” Karki said.
Karki served as a Supreme Court justice from 2009 to 2017 and spent her final years there as chief justice. She became known as an independent figure who supported anti-corruption reforms. In 2017, the ruling parties at the time secured her suspension, accusing her of bias after a decision that removed the head of the anti-corruption agency. But amid protests defending judicial independence, that move was soon reversed. Karki resigned on her own a month later, in June 2017.
Economists estimate the damage from the protests at about 3 trillion rupees, nearly one and a half annual state budgets and as much as half of GDP. The Kathmandu Post reported that retail, tourism, the auto sector, and hospitality were hit especially hard. The Bhat-Bhateni supermarket chain said 21 of its 28 outlets were damaged, with some completely destroyed. The hotel sector alone estimates losses at 25 billion rupees, car dealers at another 15 billion, and more than 10,000 people are believed to have lost their jobs.
Business groups are demanding clear support measures from the interim government. Birendra Raj Pandey, president of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, said the private sector had lost confidence after attacks on corporate buildings and private property, but entrepreneurs still believed they could recover. At the same time, business leaders warn that political instability and early elections in March, expected to cost another 30 billion rupees, could slow the return of investors and tourists.
Karki promised compensation of 1 million rupees to each family of those killed in the unrest and free treatment for the injured. The government also said it would begin rebuilding damaged buildings. Authorities lifted the curfew in the capital and nearby areas, traffic resumed and markets reopened in Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, residents of Kathmandu began cleaning the streets, schools reopened from Monday, and airports, including Tribhuvan International Airport, resumed regular flights.