“Time’s up, Fake leaders, Game Over. We’ll ring the bell on 5 March.” These lyrics from rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah were chanted continuously out on the streets of Nepal in September 2025 during the Gen-Z political protests. The youth responded negatively to a censorship-like social media ban, which then turned into a nationwide protest against the long-standing corruption, elitist nepotism, and the difficult conditions they were living in. The demonstrations escalated to the point of 77 people being killed under Prime Minister Sharma Oli, whose government was quickly set on fire and overthrown by this mass popular revolution.
Following the dissolution of parliament on September 12, 2025, Nepal’s interim Prime Minister, Sushila Karki, was appointed to lead the country as the first female to do so until the snap election on March 5, 2026.
The Highly-Anticipated Election
The elections primarily pitted the centrist Nepali Congress Party against the Communist Party of Nepal, which had previously contributed to the country’s political instability. This was due to the constant circulation of power between these parties since 2008, with roughly 15 changes in government. However, this election had a clearly favored challenger: the National Independent Party, formed in 2022, led by Balendra Shah.
Shah originally studied civil engineering in both Nepal and India, while simultaneously building his career as a music artist. His hip-hop-influenced lyrics shone a light on the injustices he saw in Kathmandu, especially the inequality and corruption he had noticed since childhood. His drive for transforming the city sparked his campaign for mayor of the capital, and he was elected in 2022. He implemented various anti-corruption campaigns quickly, and as a proud nationalist, vocalized combative responses to India and China’s disregard for Nepal’s political maps.
Similar to his mayoral campaign, Shah was supported by a frustrated public that hoped he would be the change they had been waiting for. He utilized social media campaigns with more than 660 people working in this specific campaign area, which highlights the modern tactics that come from being a 35-year-old politician.
As Shah wrote, the bell has indeed rung on March 5th, signalling the end of the old guard and the emergence of a new youth-led political era, as the RSP party has officially defeated the former Prime Minister Oli, who had won the previous four elections. This was an especially fulfilling win for Shah, who considered Oli a “terrorist” after the brutal police retaliation during the 2025 protest.
Not only has he won 182 seats in the 275-member parliament, which is also the largest majority of seats held by any party in the past six decades, but he has also won the people’s hearts. This is a rare feat, considering Nepal’s mixed political system, which combines both first-past-the-post and proportional representation, was established specifically to prevent any one party from achieving this level of unilateral dominance. This overwhelming support, with a 60 percent voter turnout, proves the public’s genuine belief in his capabilities to reform Nepal and its status quo.
A Mountain of Expectations
With a limited political career of merely three years as the mayor of the capital Kathmandu, Shah is now faced with a large number of tasks he needs to deliver on. His promises to alleviate the grievances of the Nepalese public regarding youth unemployment, corruption, and economic growth are as ambitious as they are challenging. Shah has vowed to create 1.2 million jobs and double the per capita income to $3,000, which is one of his most appealing claims, as at least 20 percent of young people are unemployed and about 25 percent of Nepal’s GDP relies on personal remittances. Another challenging endeavor is eliminating corruption at both national and local levels, which will face resistance from those who have long benefited from this system.
As Ispa Sapkota, a young woman at the campaign rallies, stated, “We protested because we wanted change.” It is clear that public expectations are high; therefore, navigating the bureaucracy, which has been hardened by years of political influence, is crucial. Shah must strike a balance between the right speed of reform to satisfy his constituents and carefully assess possible geopolitical and economic constraints. It is extremely important that he can create a solid foundation for these policies to be implemented and maintained, thereby bringing stability for the future.
While it remains to be seen how effective Shah will be in keeping his promises, Nepal’s public mobilization movement has reflected the kind of leader they hope to have. If nothing else, this election has proven that Nepalese youth may be the first of many worldwide to bring down the old guard and transition governance to the new generation.
Featured Image: Reuters