Nepal’s youngest prime minister sworn in after landslide election win

Nepal’s youngest prime minister was sworn in Friday following a decisive election victory earlier this month and months after a youth-led uprising that led to the fall of the previous government.

Balendra Shah, 35, took the oath of office after being appointed by President Ram Chandra Paudel. According to official election results, Shah’s Rastriya Swatantra Party secured nearly two-thirds of the seats in the House of Representatives in the March 5 vote.

The election followed political upheaval in September, when protests led largely by young people forced the resignation of the former government. Authorities have not released a full timeline for the transition process following those events.

Shah, a political newcomer widely known as Balen, is expected to form a government at a time of widespread public dissatisfaction with Nepal’s traditional political parties. Voters have cited concerns including corruption and ongoing political instability, according to election reporting and public statements during the campaign period.