Nepal Votes In High-Stakes Election After Gen Z Protests Toppled Government

Nepal heads to the polls on Thursday in its first national election since last year’s Gen Z-led protests that brought down the government and left at least 77 people dead.

The vote will determine who replaces the interim administration led by Sushila Karki, which has governed the Himalayan nation in the aftermath of the unrest.

Old Guard Tested as Young Leaders Rise

This election is widely viewed as a critical test for Nepal’s long-dominant political heavyweights. Among them are Sher Bahadur Deuba of the Nepali Congress, KP Sharma Oli of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), and Pushpa Kamal Dahal of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre).

These leaders have shaped Nepal’s politics for more than a decade. Now, they face growing public scrutiny and a restless younger electorate demanding change.

Challenging the established order are several younger figures, including Rabi Lamichhane of the Rastriya Swatantra Party. A former media personality, Lamichhane has positioned himself as a voice for reform-minded voters disillusioned with traditional politics.

Oli, 74, who was ousted as prime minister last year, faces a direct challenge in his home constituency of Jhapa-5 in eastern Nepal. His opponent is Balendra Shah, a 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician and former mayor of Kathmandu. Shah has cast himself as the embodiment of youth-driven political change, tapping into the same generational energy that fuelled last year’s protests.

Another contender for the top post is 49-year-old Gagan Thapa, the newly appointed head of the Nepali Congress. He is contesting from Sarlahi-4 in southern Nepal.

A Complex Vote in a Mountainous Nation

Urging citizens to participate freely, interim Prime Minister Karki called on voters to cast their ballots “without any fear”.

Election authorities said preparations are complete, including the airlifting of voting materials to remote, snowbound regions. Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest, making logistics a formidable challenge.

Voters will elect 275 members to the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Parliament. Of these, 165 will be chosen through the first-past-the-post system, while the remaining 110 seats will be allocated through proportional representation.

Counting is expected to take several days. Forming a government could take even longer, particularly if coalition negotiations prove difficult in a fragmented political landscape.