KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Thursday marked a historic day in Nepal as 275 newly elected parliamentary representatives took their oaths of office, with almost two-thirds representing a political movement that didn’t exist four years ago.
These House of Representatives members, who comprise the influential lower legislative chamber, will serve five-year terms in their newly secured positions.
The historic election — Nepal’s first following last year’s youth-driven uprising — resulted in victory for the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), headed by Balendra Shah, a former rapper who transitioned into politics.
Party members are anticipated to select Shah as their leader later Thursday before officially notifying President Ram Chandra Poudel. Following this notification, the president will formally name Shah as Nepal’s prime minister.
Shah’s swearing-in ceremony is planned for Friday.
The RSP secured 125 direct election victories and an additional 57 seats via proportional representation, totaling 182 positions in the 275-seat House of Representatives. The Nepali Congress party finished as runner-up with 38 seats.
Nepal’s electoral system allows voters to directly choose 165 House representatives, while the remaining 110 positions are distributed through proportional representation, where parties receive seats corresponding to their vote percentages.
Shah, serving as the RSP’s prime ministerial nominee, captured Kathmandu’s mayoral position in 2022. He became a prominent leader during the 2025 uprising that removed former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli from power.
The RSP, established in 2022, garnered overwhelming electoral support, presenting a formidable challenge to Nepal’s two traditionally dominant political forces — the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist).
Last year’s demonstrations against government corruption and ineffective leadership began with opposition to social media restrictions before escalating into widespread public resistance. The violent clashes resulted in dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries as demonstrators stormed government facilities and security forces responded with gunfire.
