Balendra Shah, the rapper-turned-politician and popular figure of the Gen Z revolution, appears poised to become Nepal’s next prime minister after his party won by an unprecedented margin.
Shah, widely known as Balen, and his Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) won a rare landslide victory in the first election since youth-led protests during which dozens of people were killed and the previous government was overthrown.
“It is the victory of hope and change,” said Ramesh Paudyal, a senior RSP leader. “It is the most beautiful support for the generation Z movement. The true tribute to the martyrs of generation Z will be expressed through the work done every day by the government led by Balendra Shah.”
Public discontent and anger towards the political old guard was evident in the results, with veteran parties and their leaders losing a large number of seats. Balen’s RSP, which was formed just three years ago by a former television executive, won a rare absolute majority.
Nepal’s electoral system – which combines a first-past-the-post system with proportional representation – has tended to result in weak coalition governments. But as counting reached its final stages, the RSP had won at least 122 of 165 direct seats and was leading in three more, putting the party on track to achieve its biggest electoral majority since Nepal became a democracy.
Final election results are expected in the coming days, which will include additional seats designated through proportional representation.
The race was considered one of the most significant and exciting in years, pitting the heavyweights who have dominated Nepalese politics for decades against a younger generation who promised to end corruption and bring about a new beginning for the country.
Despite being relatively new to politics, Shah, 35, was seen as the front-runner, running a dynamic campaign that tapped into a hunger for change, particularly among young Nepalis.
Shah, an engineer by training, rose to fame as a rapper whose songs targeted poverty, unemployment and corruption. In 2022, he moved into public office and ran independently to become mayor of Kathmandu. After winning a strong majority, he began the mammoth task of cleaning up the city, including removing unauthorized buildings and sorting garbage.
But it was the youth uprising of September last year that elevated Shah to national prominence. After protests suddenly broke out, sparked by a social media ban but driven by broader frustration over a lack of opportunities, the government responded forcefully and 19 protesters were killed.
The uprising led to wider riots and arson attacks that left 70 dead and led to the resignation of the government led by four-time Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and his veteran Communist Party.
The speed with which the government was overthrown left many in the movement in shock. Shah was the Gen Z protest leaders’ favorite choice to become interim prime minister, but he declined, preferring to wait to run until formal elections were held on March 5.
In a symbol of the battle between the old guard and the new generation, Shah chose to contest in the Jhapa-5 constituency, directly contesting against the 74-year-old Oli.
Shah’s overwhelming victory was finally declared on Saturday night: by 68,348 votes to Oli’s 18,724. Acknowledging the victory, the former prime minister said he wished Shah an “uninterrupted five-year term and my best wishes.”
Arriving to collect his election certificate wearing his trademark dark sunglasses and black jacket, Shah emerged from the sunroof of his vehicle and held up a banner that read: “Congratulations to all of you, this is your victory.”
At Jhapa-5, there was much jubilation over their victory. “One of the main factors behind the generation Z movement, KP Oli, has been defeated. It seems that justice has been done to the martyrs,” said 23-year-old Aditya Karna. “There is now an expectation that Balen will lead the country towards a better future.”
Bhawana Raut, a leader of the generation Z movement who voted in Jhapa, said the result meant there could finally be a “healing” after the violence unleashed in the September protests. “This sends a clear message to all those who come to power: we must be held accountable,” he said. “Even leaders who emerged after such a huge struggle can be reduced to zero by voters in a single moment. The government should be a servant of the people, not a ruling authority.”
However, analysts stressed that Shah had a daunting task ahead of him, including managing the high expectations placed on him by the younger generation. Among the promises made during his campaign were to investigate and prosecute previous leaders for deep-rooted corruption, and the Oli government for its role in the murder of Gen Z protesters.
“The public has many aspirations and many desires,” said political analyst Lok Raj Baral. “They have very high hopes, but in a country like Nepal it is very difficult to fulfill them. The bureaucracy remains the same as always, only the political leadership is new.”
With Nepal sandwiched between India and China – whose competing interests have often overlooked domestic needs – many emphasized how important foreign policy would be during Balen’s presidency.
Baral added: “They won a majority largely because they convinced people that they would work for good governance. That mandate is positive. But from the moment Balen becomes prime minister, challenges will await him at every step.”
