2025.09.1501:11:50UTC+00Nepal Sets 2026 Election After Unrest, PM Exit

Nepal is scheduled to conduct elections on March 5, 2026, following the dissolution of parliament by President Ramchandra Paudel. This decision comes in the wake of a week marked by violent unrest fueled by "Gen Z"-led anti-corruption protests. These events triggered the resignation of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, leading to the interim appointment of Sushila Karki, who has become Nepal’s first female prime minister. The President's office announced the dissolution of the House of Representatives and the subsequent election date. Karki's appointment emerged from intense negotiations involving President Paudel, army chief Ashok Raj Sigdel, and protest leaders, after clashes had resulted in at least 51 fatalities and over 1,300 injuries. Since the monarchy was abolished in 2008, Nepal has faced ongoing political instability, compounded by high youth unemployment, prompting a significant number to seek opportunities abroad. By Saturday, a sense of normalcy was returning to Kathmandu as shops reopened and traffic resumed after the lifting of emergency restrictions.