Nepal votes in election pitting entrenched old guard against a powerful youth movement | Nepal
Nearly six months after an unprecedented wave of youth-led protests forced Nepal’s then-prime minister to resign, people began voting in a general election that is shaping up as a high-stakes showdown between the entrenched old guard and the powerful youth movement.
Key figures contesting the election include a Marxist former prime minister seeking to return to office, a rapper-turned-mayor running for youth votes, and the newly elected leader of the powerful Nepali Congress party.
Nearly 19 million voters will choose who will replace the interim government since the September 2025 uprising, in which at least 77 people were killed and parliament and several government buildings were set on fire.
The protests, led by young people under the loose banner of Gen Z, began as a demonstration against a short-lived social media ban but were fueled by broader grievances about corruption and the deplorable economy.
Interim prime minister Sushila Karki urged people to vote “without fear” and thousands of soldiers and police were deployed at polling stations.
The elections saw a number of young candidates promising to tackle Nepal’s ailing economy, challenging seasoned politicians who have been in power for decades, and claiming their experience guarantees stability and security.
“We are very hopeful,” said Sashi Gurung, 33, who will vote in Kathmandu.
“This election is not a normal election. This will be one of the changing points for Nepalis, for Nepal.”
Helicopters flew voter supplies to snow-covered mountain regions across Nepal, home to eight of the world’s 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest.
But all eyes will be on the agricultural plains south of the capital, where all three prime ministerial candidates are vying for the seat, unlike past elections that focused on the capital Kathmandu.
The usually sleepy eastern town of Jhapa will witness a head-to-head clash between two major rivals.
74-year-old Marxist leader KP Sharma Oli, who was ousted as prime minister last year and wants to return to power, is being challenged in his constituency by rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, a 35-year-old former Kathmandu mayor.
Jhapa-5 constituency, which has around 163,000 voters, will determine whether Oli retains his seat or Shah enters parliament.
Shah, of the centrist Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has cast himself as a symbol of youth-driven political change, encouraging voters to “ring the bell” of change, referencing the party symbol.
Also in the race to become prime minister is 49-year-old Gagan Thapa, the new president of the Nepali Congress, the country’s oldest party. Thapa told the AFP news agency that he wanted to end the “old age” club of rotating senior leaders.
“Many people, including Generation Z, have sacrificed their lives,” said Shiv Shrestha, 57, who will vote in Jhapa district.
“There needs to be change,” he added. “Corruption must be stopped and more employment opportunities must be created in Nepal. What happened last year must not happen again.”
More than 3,400 candidates are competing for 165 seats in direct elections in the 275-member House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament, and another 110 candidates are elected through party lists.
Nepal’s mountainous terrain creates logistical challenges in transporting ballot boxes after voting is over.
“We will also use helicopters to collect them. Once they are collected and counting begins, we will publish the results within 24 hours under the direct election system,” chief election commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari told reporters on Wednesday.
In a proportional representation system, results may take longer. Analysts say the vote is unlikely to give any party an outright majority.
It may take several days for full results; It could take even longer if negotiations for a coalition government prove difficult. Voting will end at 17.00.
