Bibek Bhandari
For the past 10 years, Nepal’s prime ministerial role has cycled from aging leader to aging leader. From communist strongmen Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal to the centrist Sher Bahadur Deuba, the trio of leaders strategically took turns to guard the position. In 2026, after the country was convulsed by protests last year, many Nepalis want a decisive shift—and a new generation of leadership.
That resolve will be tested at the ballot box on March 5, when Nepal heads into a snap election triggered by the originally peaceful, youth-led anti-corruption protest movement that began in September. The demonstration turned deadly after security forces opened fire on unarmed students, killing around 77 people during the course of two days and leading Oli to resign. Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was sworn in to lead the interim government—becoming Nepal’s first female prime minister—on Sept. 12, and the election was called nearly two years ahead of schedule.
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