'Prime Minister' development following protests in Nepal

As the repercussions of the mass protests in Nepal—which began in response to the government's decision to ban social media platforms including Facebook, X, and YouTube, and led to the resignation of Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli—continue, the country's new prime minister has been determined.

According to reports in local media, 73-year-old former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki took the oath of office at a ceremony held at the office of Nepalese President Ram Chandra Paudel and began her duties as interim prime minister. Karki, who had previously received strong support in an online poll conducted by protesters on the Discord app, has gone down in history as the first female prime minister of Nepal.

A statement from the office of Nepalese President Ram Chandra Paudel indicated that, upon Karki's recommendation, Paudel dissolved parliament and that new elections are planned to be held on March 5, 2026.

SOCIAL MEDIA BAN HAD CAUSED A CRISIS

Last week, 26 social media platforms in Nepal were blocked from access on the grounds that they did not comply with the registration deadline set by the Nepal Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. The "Gen Z Protests" held in the capital Kathmandu and many other cities had witnessed violent incidents. Following the demonstrations, in which at least 51 people lost their lives, Nepal's Minister of Communication Prithvi Subba announced that the government had withdrawn the ban decision and that social media platforms had been reopened for access. Nepal's Minister of Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak and Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli had resigned due to the backlash.

News Source: İHA