Beyond recalling ambassadors and making key appointments, this interim government has shown no interest in addressing the agendas of the GenZ movement
Nepal's political situation is very turbulent. Interim governments have acted as a bridge between crisis and stability. Three such governments are notable in the past three decades. They are: the government led by Krishna Prasad Bhattarai in 1990, the government led by Khilraj Regmi in 2013, and the government led by Sushila Karki in 2025. Each government was born out of political deadlock.
The interim government formed in 1990 under Bhattarai was a turning point in Nepal's history. The 1990 uprising was triggered by economic instability and human rights abuses during King Birendra's autocratic Panchayat rule. The king accepted multi-party democracy. The interim government was a coalition of various political groups. It included the Nepali Congress as well as communists and monarchists. The government's main tasks were to draft a new constitution and hold free elections. Despite internal divisions, it functioned efficiently. During this cabinet, the Fifth Constitution of Nepal was promulgated in 1990. It established a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system.
Bhattarai's leadership was pragmatic. It focussed on institutional reforms such as an independent judiciary and freedom of the press. The results were positive. Although the 1991 elections were the formal beginning of a multi-party democratic system in Nepal and the first test of its stability, multi-party democracy with a constitutional monarchy established under this constitution did not last for even 10 years. Successive governments sowed the seeds of political instability after then-Prime Minister GP Koirala dissolved the elected House of Representatives in 1994. In the shadow of instability, the Maoists intensified their insurgency, King Birendra's entire family was assassinated, and King Gyanendra seized power, undermining parliamentary democracy.
The 12-point agreement between the seven parties and the Maoists triggered a mass movement against the king, which restored parliamentary democracy and brought the Maoists into mainstream politics. The long-standing demand of the Constituent Assembly was realised through the 2008 elections. However, the Constituent Assembly failed to extend its 4-year term and provide a republican constitution. The end of the first Constituent Assembly's term brought a leadership vacuum to the country. The then President, Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, had issued an order removing the impediments under Article 158 of the Constitution, which paved the way for the Chief Justice to lead an electoral government.
Earlier, on March 13, 2013, an 11-point agreement was reached between the four major political forces - the Unified Maoists, the Nepali Congress, the UML and the United Democratic Madhesi Front - to form an interim Election Council under the leadership of Chief Justice Khilraj Regmi.
According to the same agreement, a council of ministers was formed on 14 March 2013 under the chairmanship of Regmi. The agreement clearly stated that the cabinet would have a maximum of 11 members and that ministers would be selected from retired administrators of high-ranking civil service positions, not based on party affiliation.
The main objective of this government was to hold elections for a second Constituent Assembly. To resolve the constitutional deadlock and hold elections for a new Constituent Assembly, Regmi formed a technical cabinet of retired bureaucrats. He kept politicians out and ensured neutrality. Elections were held in November 2013 under a mixed system.
After the elections, the Regmi cabinet resigned as soon as the government was formed under the premiership of Sushil Koirala on February 11, 2014. This created a new Constituent Assembly. It promulgated the Constitution in 2015.
September 2025 brought an unprecedented political turn in Nepal. The youth movement (Gen Z protests) that began after the government banned 26 social media platforms turned into a national outcry against bad governance, corruption, and inequality. The movement spread across the country. The peaceful protests that began on September 8 turned violent when police used force. Over two days, 78 people were killed and over 2,000 injured. Government structures from the parliament building to Singha Durbar were set on fire.
On September 9, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned. President Ram Chandra Poudel then dissolved the parliament and announced elections for March 2026. Amid the movement, the youth nominated former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as the interim prime minister through online voting.
The GenZ movement has four agendas – (1) grand corruption probe, (2) direct election of the prime minister, (3) governance reforms, and (4) constitutional review.
But the President abandoned all four agendas and gave the Karki-led interim government the sole responsibility of holding elections to the House of Representatives within six months. The consequences of ignoring the Gen Z's demands could lead to another uprising sooner than later. Beyond the singular responsibility, such as recalling ambassadors and making key appointments, this interim government has shown no interest in addressing the agendas of the GenZ movement. The failure to form a full cabinet and the subsequent controversy over the selection of ministers have shown immaturity in Karki's decision-making capacity.
The 2025 movement has shown how deep digital political consciousness and youth discontent run in Nepal. While Karki's anti-corruption image and judicial toughness are grounds for hope, economic reform, political discontent, and legal challenges pose major risks. Amid the controversies, her statement has been taken seriously by critics: "I did not seek this responsibility, the voices on the street forced me to." Karki's statement has raised various doubts. A reluctant horse usually does not win the race.
