Nepal Sets 2026 Election After Unrest, PM Exit

Nepal will hold an election on March 5, 2026, after President Ramchandra Paudel dissolved parliament in response to a week of deadly unrest.

The violence, driven by "Gen Z"-led anti-corruption protests, led to the resignation of Prime Minister K.P.

Sharma Oli and the appointment of Sushila Karki—Nepal’s first woman prime minister—on an interim basis.

Paudel’s office confirmed he had "dissolved the House of Representatives" and set the election date.

Karki’s appointment followed intense negotiations involving Paudel, army chief Ashok Raj Sigdel, and protest leaders, after clashes left at least 51 dead and over 1,300 injured.

Nepal has faced chronic instability since its monarchy ended in 2008, with youth unemployment pushing millions abroad.

By Saturday, calm was returning to Kathmandu, as shops reopened and traffic resumed following the lifting of emergency restrictions.