Election season in Kathmandu is a time of change. While loudspeakers attached to old vans scuttle through traffic, repeating promises that sound urgent yet oddly familiar, party flags droop loosely across winding streets, brushing against tangled electrical wires. Even though many voters may have heard these promises before, they still take the time to listen.
Unusual circumstances surround the upcoming March 5, 2026, election in Nepal. After the country was rocked by youth-led protests in September 2025, which resulted in dozens of deaths and the installation of an interim government, the previous parliament was dissolved. It feels more secure now to pass Singha Durbar, the government complex. Officers are on guard, keeping an eye on cautiously moving crowds as though political stability were still in jeopardy.
The selection of candidates for 275 parliamentary seats is anticipated to involve nearly 19 million registered voters. On paper, that figure seems impressive, but in practice, it seems more nuanced. Many young Nepalis, particularly those congregating in Thamel’s cafés, talk more about frustration than ideology. Voting seems to have shifted from being about hope to being about avoiding disappointment.
Even though newer faces are trying to change the landscape, political figures like K. P. Sharma Oli continue to dominate it. With the assurance of someone who has weathered political storms before, Oli, a seasoned leader, keeps running for office. It is evident that experience still matters in Nepal when one witnesses him speaking at rallies with devoted supporters brandishing party emblems.
However, something is changing.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | Nepal |
| Election Type | General Election |
| Election Date | March 5, 2026 |
| Seats Contested | 275 Members of House of Representatives |
| Registered Voters | 18,903,689 |
| Electoral System | FPTP (165 seats) + Proportional Representation (110 seats) |
| Interim Prime Minister | Sushila Karki |
| Major Parties | Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Nepali Communist Party, Rastriya Swatantra Party |
| Election Authority | Election Commission Nepal |
| Background Info | 2026 Nepalese General Election – Wikipedia |
Younger candidates are now speaking in a different tone on the campaign stages in Janakpur and Pokhara. They sound impatient and less formal in their speeches. While some speak candidly about corruption, others pledge broad reforms. It’s unclear if that candor will result in actual change.
This conflict between tradition and reform is reflected in Nepal’s electoral system itself. Two ballots were cast by voters: one for proportional party representation and one for direct representation. It is a framework intended to strike a balance between national stability and local voices. However, based on voter conversations, it appears that many believe neither system has lived up to expectations.
Behind almost every political debate is economic pressure.
Families all throughout the nation are still supported by remittances from Nepalis employed overseas, but this dependence raises unspoken concerns. Young men wait in line outside a Lalitpur recruitment office to apply for jobs abroad. While they don’t anticipate many changes, some acknowledge that they intend to cast their ballots before departing. The contradiction of taking part in democracy while getting ready to abandon it is difficult to ignore.
Deeper anxiety is reflected in security preparations. The deployment of about 300,000 security guards indicates that authorities are committed to preventing the chaos that characterized the previous year. Trucks transporting ballot boxes travel cautiously on mountain roads, traversing terrain where snow and remoteness can make even basic logistics more difficult. Here, democracy is not a theoretical concept. It’s tangible. delicate. based on the weather.
This time, the impact of young voters might make the difference. Approximately 800,000 people will cast their first ballots; many of them will be influenced more by protests than party affiliation. It seems to me that student organizations at Tribhuvan University developed their political identities through confrontation rather than speeches. Nevertheless, skepticism endures.
Nepal has previously undergone significant political upheaval, including the fall of the monarchy in 2008, the ratification of a republican constitution, and several coalition governments. Stability was promised at every moment. Uncertainty followed each. Elections frequently seem more like breaks between crises than pivotal moments.
Participation is still high, though.
Elderly voters in rural villages still observe election day with ceremony, walking hours to polling places, dressing traditionally, and carrying carefully wrapped plastic citizenship papers. Something more profound than political calculation is implied by that ritual. Even in cases where belief is challenging, it implies belief.
