Nepal stands on the brink of a political transformation as voters head to the polls on March 5 to elect a new government. Campaigning kicked off on February 16 and will wrap up three days before the big day. This vote isn’t just about picking leaders—it’s a referendum on the nation’s future amid chronic instability.
Since the monarchy’s abolition in 2008, when Nepal transitioned to a federal democratic republic, the country has been mired in turmoil. Coalition governments have crumbled, corruption scandals have proliferated, and public trust has eroded. Now, the echoes of last year’s youth-led Gen Z anti-corruption protests—sparked in September 2025—still reverberate. Those social media-fueled demonstrations toppled Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s administration and forced parliament’s dissolution, demanding accountability, transparency, and economic revival.
A new wave of candidates, many protest veterans making their electoral debut, are channeling the aspirations of Nepal’s burgeoning youth population. With nearly a million new voters registered since 2022, their ballots could swing the outcome decisively.
Leading the charge is 35-year-old Balendra Shah, known as ‘Balen,’ the former Kathmandu mayor and engineer-turned-rapper-turned-politician. Backed by the National Independent Party (RSP), founded in 2022 by ex-TV host Rabi Lamichhane, Balen boasts strong youth appeal. He’s positioned as a future PM contender, directly challenging Oli in the Jhapa-5 constituency.
Veteran heavyweights remain formidable. KP Sharma Oli, 73, leads the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) with enduring influence. Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda,’ 71, coordinates the Nepali Communist Party (NCP) alliance. Gagan Thapa, 49, now helms the venerable Nepali Congress, succeeding Sher Bahadur Deuba. The monarchist Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) persists, drawing pockets of support for ex-King Gyanendra Shah despite the 240-year Shah dynasty’s end after the 1990 People’s Movement and 2006 peace accord with Maoist rebels.
Geopolitics looms large. India’s deep ties in education, trade, power, and culture contrast with China’s growing footprint via the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Oli signed a BRI framework in December 2024 during his Beijing visit, aiming to guide infrastructure and economic projects over three years, though implementation lags and no major deals have materialized. Ties with neighbors like Sri Lanka also face financial hurdles.
As ballots are cast, the world watches: Can Nepal’s youth dismantle entrenched power structures? Will foreign policy pivot? The stakes couldn’t be higher for this Himalayan democracy.