Karki Becomes Nepal’s First Woman PM as Parliament Dissolved; Fresh Polls on March 5, 2026

• By Thetripurapost Desk, Kathmandu
• Sep 13, 2025
• 565

In a historic and unprecedented turn of events, Nepal President Ram Chandra Poudel on Friday evening appointed former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as the country’s new Prime Minister, just hours after dissolving the Parliament under mounting public pressure. The President also announced that fresh elections to the House of Representatives will be held on March 5, 2026.

At 73, Ms. Karki – who earlier made history as Nepal’s first woman Chief Justice – has now etched her name again by becoming the country’s first woman Prime Minister. She will head an interim Cabinet tasked with steering the nation through six turbulent months until elections.

President Poudel administered the oath of office and secrecy to Ms. Karki in a brief ceremony at Sheetal Niwas, the presidential palace.

Protest Pressure, Political Collapse

The move comes after a week of ferocious Gen Z-led protests that forced out former PM K.P. Sharma Oli and shook Nepal’s political establishment. The protesters, angered by years of corruption and elite excesses, had demanded nothing less than a complete political reset — beginning with the dissolution of Parliament.

On September 8, at least 19 people were killed when security forces cracked down on demonstrators, sparking wider outrage. The following day, crowds stormed politicians’ residences, set fire to government offices, and even torched the Supreme Court, Parliament building, and Singha Durbar in what many described as a symbolic takeover of the state.

With pressure mounting, the protesters finally agreed to Ms. Karki’s leadership after Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, a popular figure in the movement, publicly endorsed her.

Army, President, and Legal Balancing Act

Sources said President Poudel held frantic consultations late Thursday with Ms. Karki, senior lawyers, and even the Nepal Army, which has played a quiet but pivotal role in keeping order amid the chaos.

There was initial hesitation about whether dissolving Parliament before appointing a head of government would risk constitutional breakdown. But Ms. Karki backed the protesters’ stance, arguing that only a dissolved House could prevent the same discredited parties from pulling strings behind the scenes.

Constitutional expert Bipin Adhikari said her appointment was unlikely to be challenged:

 “Given that her appointment is a remedial measure taken at a time of crisis, its legitimacy is not likely to be questioned. Nepal has handled crises in similar ways before.”

A Turning Point

For many young protesters, this is more than a leadership change. “House dissolution was non-negotiable,” said Sudan Gurung, a prominent Gen Z leader. “We want a clean slate, not recycled politics.”

The path ahead remains fraught: Ms. Karki must quickly form a Cabinet, restore order, and oversee preparations for a pivotal election on March 5, 2026 — an election that may decide whether Nepal’s youthful street movement translates into lasting political transformation.