After protests oust PM, Nepal stares into political void

Shaken by deadly protests that ousted its veteran prime minister and set parliament ablaze, Nepal faces the pressing question of who will step into the political void.

In the short term, the army has taken charge of a nation of 30 million people since the protests escalated on Tuesday.

Nepali Army chief, General Ashok Raj Sigdel, met on Wednesday with key figures and "representatives of Gen Z," an army spokesman said, referring to the loose umbrella title of the young protesters, without giving further details.

But analysts warn that finding a "transitional arrangement" that carries legitimacy with ordinary Nepalis, especially disaffected youth, may prove a thorny task.

Here are the possible power brokers.

President and parliament

Sushila Karki, 73, a former Supreme Court chief justice who many see as a potential interim leader, said talks between parties were critical.

"Experts need to come together to figure out the way forward," Karki told AFP. "The parliament still stands."

Constitutionally, President Ramchandra Paudel, 80, holder of the largely cermonial post, should invite the leader of the largest parliamentary party to form a government.

But much of the political old guard has vanished from view.

"The anger... goes much beyond the prime minister, targeting the entire political class," Crisis Group analyst Ashish Pradhan said.

The Himalayan nation became a federal republic in 2008 after a decade-long civil war ended with a peace deal that integrated former Maoist rebels into government.

It last held general elections in 2022.