Nepal is poised for a new coalition government led by politician KP Sharma Oli following the defeat of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal in a parliamentary confidence vote on Friday, marking the end of a turbulent 20-month tenure.
Since Nepal abolished its 239-year-old monarchy in 2008, the country has grappled with political instability, with Oli’s upcoming government becoming the 14th since then.
The political landscape is closely watched by neighboring giants China and India, both heavily invested in Nepal as they vie for regional influence.
Dahal, aged 69 and a former Maoist rebel leader, faced the choice to resign or prove his majority in parliament after his main ally, the left-leaning Communist Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) party led by Oli, withdrew support last week.
Oli, who has previously served as prime minister twice, recently brokered an alliance with the centrist Nepali Congress (NC), securing enough seats for a parliamentary majority. However, the timeline for the new government to assume office has yet to be determined.
In the confidence vote, Dahal needed at least 138 votes in the 275-member house to retain power. Out of 258 lawmakers present, 63 voted in favor of him, 194 voted against, and one abstained.
“After counting the ballots, Parliament Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire announced the rejection of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s confidence vote,” said an official statement.
