Nepal’s President Ramchandra Paudel dissolved parliament and announced fresh elections for March 5, 2026, following a week of deadly unrest and the appointment of the country’s first female Prime Minister on an interim basis. Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was appointed to lead the nation after widespread Gen Z-led anti-corruption protests forced Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign. Paudel’s office confirmed that the House of Representatives had been dissolved and elections scheduled for March.

Karki’s appointment came after two days of intense negotiations involving President Paudel, army chief Ashok Raj Sigdel, and protest leaders. The unrest, described as Nepal’s worst in years, left at least 51 people dead and over 1,300 injured. India welcomed the developments, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulating Karki and expressing commitment to Nepal’s peace and prosperity.

The protests were triggered by a temporary social media ban, which has since been lifted. The country, which has faced political and economic instability since the monarchy’s abolition in 2008, saw a return to relative normalcy on Friday, with shops reopening and traffic resuming. Millions of young Nepalis continue to seek work abroad due to limited local opportunities.