A new political majority led by Balendra Shah’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) won Nepal’s parliamentary election, a result that will determine formation of the next government and set the country’s immediate political agenda.

Election commission results show the RSP secured 182 of the 275 seats in the House of Representatives, winning 125 of the 165 directly elected seats and an additional 57 seats through proportional representation. A party or coalition needs 138 seats to form a government; the RSP fell two seats short of a two-thirds supermajority. The Nepali Congress won 38 seats, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) won 25 seats, the Nepali Communist Party (or Communist Party of Nepal) won 17 seats, the Rastriya Shram Shakti Party won 7 seats, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party won 5 seats, and one independent was elected; overall the legislature is composed of 165 members elected directly and 110 through proportional representation. The Election Commission asked parties to submit names to fill proportional-representation slots within three days.

RSP leaders have nominated Balendra Shah, commonly known as Balen, as the party’s candidate for prime minister. Shah, a former rapper, civil engineer and independent mayor of Kathmandu, defeated former prime minister KP Sharma Oli in Oli’s Jhapa-5 constituency and recorded what was reported as the highest vote total ever in a Nepalese election. Formal confirmation of the prime minister will require submission of proportional-representation names and the backing of at least half of all members in parliament.

The vote followed large youth-led nationwide protests against social media restrictions, alleged corruption and economic stagnation. Authorities and reports say at least 77 people died during the earlier demonstrations, including 19 killed in police firing on September 8; Human Rights Watch and rights groups expressed concern about rights risks from rapid, results-driven actions by new leaders and urged rules-based governance. Voter turnout was reported at about 60 percent of roughly 18.9–19 million eligible voters, with nearly one million first-time voters among about 6,541 candidates who contested.

Campaign themes included anti-corruption measures, judicial and civil-service reforms, efforts to cut bureaucratic red tape, and policies aimed at boosting growth and employment. The RSP has proposed investigations into assets acquired since the 1990s, possible nationalisation of properties judged illegally obtained, greater transparency in trials, and reorganising civil-service pay and promotion systems. Analysts and observers warned that the RSP’s large majority could reduce formal parliamentary resistance, placing greater responsibility on other institutions, media and public vigilance to provide oversight and maintain checks and balances. Commentators noted risks from limited governing experience among many newly elected MPs and the potential for factional ambitions within the party.

Economic context cited by parties and analysts includes high youth unemployment around 20 percent, heavy reliance on remittances that account for more than a quarter of gross domestic product, widespread overseas labour migration, and vulnerabilities from declining tourism, natural disasters and regional instability that could disrupt employment abroad. The RSP’s manifesto sets ambitious growth targets; the World Bank projected slower expansion and emphasised economic risks tied to political instability and external shocks.

On foreign policy, RSP leaders signalled continuity with Nepal’s traditional non-aligned stance, emphasised priority relationships with neighbours and historic ties with the United States, and reportedly rejected plans for security agreements that would exceed constitutional limits. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly called to congratulate RSP leaders; analysts noted that managing relations with neighbouring India and China will be an early challenge for the incoming government.

Officials are preparing result documents for submission to the president’s office, after which the president is expected to invite the largest party to form a government. The new RSP-led, young and largely inexperienced administration faces high public expectations to translate campaign promises into feasible policies while preserving institutional balance and democratic safeguards.

Original Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

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