US EditionVote counting begins in Nepal after a peaceful parliamentary election
Youth-backed Rastriya Swatantra Party leads in over two-thirds of seats amid Nepal’s first post-uprising general election with nearly 19 million eligible voters, officials said.
- On March 5, 2026, Nepal held its first nationwide election since the uprising in early March 2026, with polls closing on Thursday evening in a largely orderly process.
- The vote follows a September 2025 uprising in which at least 77 people died, sparked by a brief social media ban that grew into wider Gen Z protests against corruption and the economy.
- Turnout figures show about 60 per cent participation with nearly 19 million people registered, more than 3,400 candidates contested 165 direct seats, and helicopters transported ballots to mountain regions.
- Counting has begun in most places, Election Commission spokesman Prakash Nyupane said Friday, with some early winners expected Friday but full nationwide tallies may take several days as analysts warn government formation could drag on.
- The incoming administration must address last year's protests, tackle entrenched corruption and manage ties with India and China, while analysts warn coalition government talks may delay formation.
68 Articles
68 Articles
Ex-rapper's party set to sweep Nepal election months after Gen Z-led protests
KATHMANDU — A three-year-old party led by rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shahlooked set to sweep Nepal's general election on Friday, trouncing established rivals in a result analysts likened to a "tsunami." Thirty-five-year-old Shah and his Rastriya Swatantra Party were on course to win a majority in the 275-member lower house of parliament, leading in 100 of the 137 seats, the election commission said. At 1200 GMT, vote counting was under wa…
Nepal election results: RSP leads in 52 seats, Balendra Shah ahead in Jhapa-5
Nepal election: Early counting trends show Rastriya Swotantra Party leading in 52 of 65 seats, with Balendra Shah ahead in Jhapa-5 against KP Sharma Oli. Nepali Congress and UML trail as vote count continues, with final results likely by Friday evening.
Nepal Election Result: Early Trends Show Ex-Rapper Balen Shah's Party Ahead in Two-Thirds of Seats
Balen Shah, 35, the former mayor of Kathmandu, the capital, has dominated the race to become prime minister during the campaign, gaining near-rockstar like fame on social media across the Himalayan nation in the wake of the youth-led uprising.
Nepal’s early vote count puts ex-rapper’s party ahead
Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah’s party gained leads in early counting in Nepal’s general election, far outpacing his other rivals, including the country’s former prime minister who was forced to resign after a historic youth-led uprising last year.
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