Nepal Votes in First Election Since Deadly Youth-Led Protests Toppled Government
Nepalis headed to the polls on Wednesday in the country’s first national election since last year’s youth-led protests forced the government from power, a moment widely seen as a test of whether the political establishment can withstand growing pressure from younger voters demanding change.
The unrest that erupted last September was fueled by anger over corruption, economic stagnation and widening inequality. Seventy-seven people were killed during the demonstrations, many of them protesters shot by police.
Nearly 19 million citizens registered to vote in the 5 March election for the House of Representatives, including roughly one million first-time voters. After polling stations closed, Nepal’s Election Commission estimated turnout at about 60%.
The vote unfolded largely peacefully, though authorities deployed significant security forces across the country.
At the heart of the election is a clash between long-dominant political figures and a younger generation of candidates attempting to capitalize on the energy of the protest movement.
One of the most closely watched races is taking place in Jhapa 5, where former prime minister KP Sharma Oli is running to retain his political influence after being ousted during the protests. His challenger is Balen Shah, a former rapper who stepped down as Kathmandu’s mayor earlier this year to contest the seat.
Oli’s party, the Communist Party of Nepal UML, has rejected the idea that the protests represented a rejection of his leadership. Speaking to the BBC, Oli said he remained confident voters would return him to office.
Another major political figure in the election is Gagan Thapa, leader of the Nepali Congress. He has argued that younger voters are increasingly frustrated with the coalition governments that have dominated Nepal’s politics over the past few decades.
Thapa said Gen Z voters are disillusioned with past alliances and “poor governance,” adding that his party is paying attention to the concerns of younger generations.
Shah, representing the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has cultivated a different style of campaigning. On Thursday, he arrived wearing his trademark black sunglasses and moved through a crowd of reporters without answering questions.
Some members of the media worry that his reluctance to engage could persist if he wins office. Yet many younger voters say his energy and outsider image are exactly what the country needs, viewing him as a symbol of political renewal.
Still, some activists remain skeptical that traditional parties have seriously addressed the demands raised during the protests.
Rakshya Bam, a prominent Gen Z leader, said she has little confidence that the election will deliver the change many young people hoped for.
“I think none of the parties have incorporated the pact that was signed between the government and the Gen Z in their election manifestos. They want to sell the name of Gen Z and come into power, so they are using the term Gen Z movement… I don’t have much expectations from the elections.”
Many voters say their concerns remain rooted in the same economic frustrations that sparked the demonstrations.
Ispa Sapkota, who voted in Kathmandu, told the BBC she joined protests last year because she wanted to see corruption addressed and political stability restored.
“We want a better nation,” she said. “When I and others search for jobs, we’re not able to get any here. Brain drain is becoming the most important problem in our country.”
Another voter, Samikshya KC, said she supported the protest movement, even though she did not participate in the demonstrations.
“Nepal is becoming very corrupt. I’m hoping for a big change. There are so many remote places in our country – let there be some progress there too. Whatever happens, let it be good.”
The election’s outcome could reshape Nepal’s political landscape. For more than 30 years, governments have typically been formed through shifting coalitions dominated by a small number of major parties, including two communist factions.
A victory by Shah would signal a dramatic break from that pattern and reflect the growing influence of younger voters.
The election will determine all 275 seats in the lower house of parliament. Of those, 165 are being contested through first-past-the-post races, while the remaining 110 will be allocated through proportional representation based on each party’s share of the national vote.
Counting the ballots is expected to take several days. Nepal’s rugged terrain makes transporting ballot boxes difficult, and votes are counted manually once they arrive at tallying centers.
Election officials say it typically takes at least a day to collect ballots from remote regions and deliver them to counting sites.
The Election Commission has said it aims to finish the counting process by 9 March. Results from the directly elected seats are expected within 24 hours of counting beginning, while the proportional representation tally may take an additional 2 to 3 days.
Once the final numbers are confirmed, political parties will begin negotiating to form a new government — one that will face pressure to tackle corruption, improve governance and revive an economy that many voters say has left them behind.
Moumita Basuroychowdhury is a Contributing Reporter at The National Digest. After earning an economics degree at Cornell University, she moved to NYC to pursue her MFA in creative writing. She enjoys reporting on science, business and culture news. You can reach her at moumita.b@thenationaldigest.com.
