The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has achieved a significant victory in Nepal’s latest elections, marking a pivotal shift in the country’s political dynamics. The elections, held on March 12, 2026, followed last year’s youth-led protests that resulted in the government’s downfall.
The RSP, led by rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, secured 182 seats, narrowly missing a two-thirds supermajority by just two seats. This win is the largest for a single party in Nepal in decades. The Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal UML (CPN-UML) followed with 38 and 25 seats, respectively. Voter turnout was approximately 60% of the 19 million eligible voters.
This election represents a remarkable turnaround for the RSP, which was founded in 2022 and had only managed a fourth-place finish in the elections held that same year. Shah, who has served as the mayor of Kathmandu, is poised to become Nepal’s next leader.
The election results underscore a demand for change, particularly among the youth, who were pivotal in last year’s protests. Key issues such as unemployment, economic stagnation, and inequality were central to the campaign. The protests, initially sparked by a social media ban, highlighted frustrations with Nepal’s political system and class disparities.
As the RSP prepares to form a new government, expectations are high for swift policy changes. The mixed electoral system, designed to prevent domination by a single party, has been challenged by this outcome. The coming weeks will determine how the RSP will address the pressing concerns that fueled its rise to power.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, March 13, 2026
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