Kathmandu. Nepal’s president on Friday appointed former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki as interim prime minister, making her the first woman to lead the Himalayan nation’s government after fiery protests toppled the previous administration.

President Ram Chandra Poudel also dissolved parliament and scheduled new elections for March 5 at the recommendation of the new prime minister, the president’s office said in a statement late Friday. The last legislative elections were held in 2022.

Karki, a popular figure during her tenure as the court’s only female chief justice in 2016 and 2017, was sworn in during a small ceremony at the presidential residence that was broadcast on state-run television.

The 73-year-old was known for her tough stance against government corruption as the chief justice. Lawmakers attempted to impeach her in April 2017 with allegations of bias, but the effort failed and was widely criticized as an attack on the judiciary.

Street demonstrations that began Monday in Kathmandu over a short-lived social media ban turned violent, with protesters storming government buildings and police opening fire. Although the ban was lifted, unrest continued over broader grievances. Tens of thousands of demonstrators attacked and set fire to the parliament, the presidential residence, and private businesses.

The violence forced Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli to resign on Tuesday and flee his official residence. The army seized control of the capital that night, and negotiations began between protesters, the military and the president over an interim government.

At least 51 people have been killed in the past week, police said Friday. Most of the dead were protesters shot by police, while others were inmates killed during an attempted jailbreak in Kathmandu. Three police officers were also among the dead.

The military has enforced a curfew since Tuesday night, allowing residents only a few hours each day to leave their homes for food and supplies while soldiers patrol the streets of the capital.

The protests, dubbed the “Gen Z protest,” were triggered by the ban on Facebook, X, and YouTube, which the government accused of failing to register for oversight. But they quickly expanded to reflect broader frustrations, with young Nepalis railing against the privileged “nepo kids” of political leaders, who enjoy lavish lifestyles while many youth face bleak job prospects.

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