Nepal has appointed former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki as its interim prime minister, marking the first time in the country’s history that a woman has led the government.

She came to power after a popular groundswell of supporters backed her on the social media platform Discord and without a formal vote. Karki says she’ll hand over power within six months, pledging to restore law and order before the March 2026 elections. Her appointment followed youth-led protests that toppled KP Oli’s government and left 72 dead.

Karki, 73, was sworn in on September 12 and is expected to serve until general elections scheduled for March 2026. She is widely known for her anti-corruption stance during her tenure on the bench, where she built a reputation as a strong advocate for judicial independence.

There have been accusations that she has been promoted to power in a so-called “colour revolution” with US and European backing. However, she is unusual in that she was entirely educated in Nepal and India and has no obvious western affiliations. Moreover, her husband, Durga Prasad Subedi, is a well-known political activist and writer in Nepal.

He is also a radical nationalist, associated with Nepal's democratic and republican movements. He even hijacked a Royal Nepal Airlines domestic flight in 1972 that was reportedly carrying Bollywood star Shatrughan Sinha, to fund a revolutionary armed struggle against the monarchist Panchayat regime. While the hijacking was illegal, it became an iconic event in Nepal’s democratic history, and Durga Subedi was later imprisoned in India for his role.

Karki is best known for her judicial work, particularly her uncompromising anti-corruption rulings as Chief Justice.

Her appointment follows the resignation of the previous prime minister amid weeks of mass protests and violent clashes across the country. According to official figures, 51 people have been killed and more than 1,300 injured during the unrest, which has been fuelled by dissatisfaction with government accountability and economic stagnation.

The political transition has drawn international attention, with Beijing offering swift diplomatic recognition. “China congratulates Madam Sushila Karki on becoming Prime Minister of Nepal’s interim government,” a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in remarks published on September 14.

“China and Nepal share a time-honoured friendship. China, as always, respects the development path chosen independently by the people of Nepal. We stand ready to work with Nepal to promote the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, enhance exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and further advance bilateral relations.”

The Chinese government’s phrasing was praised by political analysts for its impartiality. “China is very careful about their public statements, and they had no need to include this vocabulary. Why go out of their way to say she was ‘chosen independently’ if they had suspicions this was a colour revolution against their interests?” political commentator Arnaud Bertrand wrote in a social media post.

EU foreign policy chief and former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas also welcomed her appointment and hailed Nepal as a long standing European partner in the region. The Trump administration made similar comments.

The small and mountainous nation is poor, but it sits in a strategic position between China and India and has followed a strict neutrality policy since the overthrow of the monarchy in 2008 grounded in the Panchsheel, or Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence — mutual respect, mutual non-aggression, non-interference, equality, and peaceful coexistence.

Nepal’s adherence to neutrality has not always been easy to maintain, particularly given the competing interests of its powerful neighbours. Both Beijing and New Delhi have historically exerted influence in Nepal’s political and economic spheres, and Kathmandu often faces pressure from both sides.

Karki’s appointment comes at a volatile time for Nepal’s domestic politics, with the interim government facing the dual challenge of restoring public order and preparing for national elections. Despite her non-partisan background, her administration will be under pressure to maintain neutrality while guiding the country through a difficult political transition.