A new political era appears to be dawning in Nepal as 35-year-traditional Balendra Shah is poised to lead the nation’s next government. The outcome of Saturday’s parliamentary elections signals a potential shift away from established political figures and towards a younger generation of leaders in the Himalayan country, which has seen increasing social unrest.
With 70% of the vote tallied, Shah has secured over 47,500 votes in the Jhapa 5 constituency, a lead that current Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, 74, with only 12,600 votes, cannot overcome. If Shah’s victory and the momentum of his Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) hold, he is expected to become the next Prime Minister.
Celebrations have already begun among Shah’s supporters, gathered outside the Jhapa district vote counting center. “I was sure he would win, I am delighted,” said Annie Thapa, 24. “I sincerely hope he will do good for the country. People have high expectations of Balen and he will be under a lot of pressure, but I believe he will cope and achieve good results.”
The contest between Oli, the leader of the Communist Party of Nepal who was ousted last September following protests led by Generation Z, and Shah, the popular mayor of Kathmandu who emerged as a voice for the opposition, was the most closely watched of the election. The results suggest a rebuke of the established political order following widespread demonstrations.
According to partial results released Saturday, the RSP is on track to win a strong majority in the 275-seat House of Representatives, currently holding 39 seats compared to five for the Nepali Congress and two for the Communist Party. The RSP also leads in 90 of the 117 other constituencies where votes were tallied by majority rule.
Electoral Tidal Wave
Full results from the 165 seats allocated through direct voting are expected Monday, according to Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, a spokesperson for the election commission. However, the composition of the new lower house of parliament will not be fully known for some time. “According to our projections, it will take a week to count the seats allocated proportionally,” Bhattarai said.
“We are heading towards an electoral tidal wave that reflects the accumulated frustration in the country,” analyst Chandra Dev Bhatta told AFP. “We see in a way a revolt of the people against the established political parties. People understand that the new ones do not necessarily have incredibly established programs, but they are punishing the old parties for their bad governance.”
Oli, a symbol of the old guard that has shared power in Nepal since the end of the civil war in 2006 and the abolition of the monarchy two years later, has served four terms as Prime Minister. The election comes after a period of significant unrest in Nepal, including violent protests led by Generation Z in September 2025.
Those protests, sparked by government restrictions on social media, broadened to include grievances over corruption and unemployment, which drives many Nepalis to seek work abroad. The unrest resulted in 77 deaths, hundreds of injuries, and the destruction and looting of numerous official buildings, including parliament, and businesses, according to official figures.
Following six months of a transitional government led by former Chief Justice Sushila Karki, nearly 19 million Nepalis were called to the polls in these legislative elections, which are being described as the most open in the country in 20 years. The election commission reported a 59% voter turnout, with the process taking place peacefully.
