Nepal holds general election following Gen Z-led social unrest

Nepal’s Elections: Early Trends Expected to Emerge on Friday

Election officials in Nepal announced that counting at most booths would begin after polls closed on Thursday, with early trends likely to emerge by Friday. The country held elections to elect 275 members of the House of Representatives, with an estimated turnout of 60 percent.

The Election Commission reported that apart from isolated incidents of obstruction, the preliminary reports from national and international observers indicate that the election has been conducted peacefully. This is in line with previous elections, which saw a turnout of 61 percent in 2022.

The vote comes after youth-led protests in September, resulting in at least 77 deaths. Voters are directly electing 165 members to the House of Representatives, while the remaining seats will be allocated through a proportional representation system.

Candidates from various parties, including the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Nepali Congress, and Communist Party of Nepal, participated in the election. The RSP’s prime ministerial candidate, Balendra Shah, drew large crowds during the campaign and connected with young voters seeking change.

The Election Commission stated that complete results may take a week to be known. Political analysts expect the election to address the aspirations of the youths who participated in the protests.

Source: Al Jazeera