Nepal prepares for new coalition government after Dahal's defeat
Nepal's newly elected Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, smiles as he sits on a chair after administering the oath of office at the presidential building "Shital Niwas" in Kathmandu, Nepal, December 26, 2022. PHOTO: REUTERS
Nepal is on the brink of establishing a new coalition government after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal lost a parliamentary vote of confidence on Friday.
Dahal's 20-month term was marked by significant political instability. K.P. Sharma Oli, a seasoned politician who has served as prime minister twice before, is set to lead the new government after securing a majority through a deal with the centrist Nepali Congress (NC).
The political landscape in Nepal has been notably volatile since the abolition of its 239-year-old monarchy in 2008, with Oli's impending administration marking the 14th government in just 16 years. The change in leadership is significant not only domestically but also for Nepal's neighbours, China and India, who vie for influence in the strategically located Himalayan nation.
Dahal, 69, was forced to either resign or prove his majority in parliament after his largest ally, the liberal Communist Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) party, led by Oli, withdrew support last week.
Dahal, who previously led Maoist rebel forces, needed 138 votes in the 275-member house to remain in power but managed only 63, with 194 against him. His tenure, beginning in December 2022, saw him changing his main coalition partner multiple times and seeking a vote of confidence on five occasions.
"The confidence vote sought by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has been rejected," Parliament Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire declared after the ballots were counted.
Oli, who has been prime minister twice before, struck a deal with the centrist Nepali Congress (NC) at the end of June, securing enough seats for a majority, meaning he is poised to govern, but no date has been set for the new government to take office.
In his third term as prime minister, which began in December 2022, Dahal changed his main coalition partner three times and had to seek a vote of confidence five times, including the one he lost on Friday.
As Nepal prepares for another shift in its government, the main challenge remains achieving political stability. The coalition formed by Oli includes the two largest parties in parliament, UML and NC, which raises concerns about potential regression and authoritarianism, as voiced by Dahal.