Kathmandu: Nepal’s former Chief Justice Sushila Karki has emerged as the frontrunner to lead an interim government, a representative of the “Gen Z” protest movement said on Thursday, following demonstrations that forced the veteran Prime Minister from office.
Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel met representatives of the youth-led movement on Wednesday (September 10, 2025), after holding consultations with other stakeholders, a military spokesperson confirmed, without disclosing details. The army is attempting to restore stability after Nepal witnessed its worst unrest in two decades — riots on Tuesday (September 9) that toppled the Prime Minister and left parliament in flames.
“Right now, Sushila Karki’s name is being discussed to head the interim government — we are waiting for the President’s decision,” said Rakshya Bam, one of the participants in the talks. “Our discussion with the army chief was about how to move forward while safeguarding peace and security.”
Karki, 73, a respected academic and Nepal’s first female Chief Justice, has called for experts to come together to chart the way ahead, stressing that “the parliament still stands.”
However, consensus within the protest movement remains elusive. In a virtual meeting on Discord attended by thousands, young demonstrators debated their diverse priorities and suggested multiple names for interim leadership. “There are divisions,” journalist Pranaya Rana observed. “In a decentralised movement like this, competing voices and interests are inevitable.”
Meanwhile, soldiers continued to patrol Kathmandu’s streets on Thursday (September 11), with checkpoints set up across the city, though the capital remained calm.
The protests began on Monday (September 8) against a government-imposed social media ban and growing corruption but soon spiraled into nationwide anger. Violence escalated after at least 19 people were killed in a brutal crackdown, with enraged crowds torching government buildings.
