Nepal’s Pro-Gen Z Party Leader Set to Become PM in Landslide Win
Supporters of the Rastriya Swatantra Party led by Balendra Shah celebrate victory in the House of Representatives in Lalitpur, Nepal.
Photographer: Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto/Getty Images
A 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician is on course to become Nepal’s prime minister after his party swept Thursday’s national elections with a commanding majority, according to results released by the country’s Election Commission.
Balendra Shah, leader of the three-year-old Rastriya Swatantra Party, won 125 seats out of a total of 165 seats in Thursday’s vote. Its main competitor, the Nepali Congress is trailing with wins in 18 seats. Another 110 seats allocated through proportional representation have yet to be declared but are expected to largely favor the RSP.