Nepal’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), led by rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, is poised to secure a landslide victory in the country’s parliamentary elections, according to partial official results reported Sunday. The RSP has already secured a majority in the direct parliamentary elections, with trends indicating a strong lead in the proportional representation vote.
The results mark a dramatic shift in Nepali politics, particularly given Shah’s recent defeat of four-time Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in his own constituency. The 35-year-old Shah’s rise from mayor of the capital city to a potential prime minister underscores the impact of youth-led movements in the country. The elections were the first held since deadly protests in September 2025, triggered by a brief social media ban, which quickly broadened to encompass grievances over corruption and economic struggles.
The November 2025 elections chose a new 275-member House of Representatives, comprised of 185 directly elected seats and 110 allocated through proportional representation. The Asian Network for Free Elections reported that voting was “peaceful and orderly” and demonstrated continued public engagement with democratic processes despite recent political instability.
Agence France-Presse (AFP), a global news agency with a network of journalists in 151 countries, is providing ongoing coverage of the election results. AFP employs 2,400 staff representing 100 nationalities, and reports in six languages. The agency was founded in 1944, succeeding the Havas news agency, and is a world leader in digital verification, according to the organization.
The AFP Fact Check department, a division within the agency, is dedicated to providing accurate and impartial coverage of news events. Adam Plowright, a France correspondent for AFP, and Abhaya Srivastava, a South Asia Special Correspondent, are among the agency’s journalists reporting on the evolving political landscape in Nepal.
The election commission has not yet announced a final tally, and the composition of the new government remains to be determined.
