Kathmandu: Balendra Shah ‘Balen’ was on Friday appointed as the Prime Minister of Nepal, making him the youngest elected leader to hold the top executive post in the Himalayan nation.
President Ramchandra Paudel appointed Balen, the parliamentary party leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), as the prime minister in accordance with Article 76 (1) of the Constitution, states a notice issued by the President’s Office.
The 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician has also become the first prime minister from the Madhes region.
The swearing-in ceremony will blend Hindu and Buddhist traditions, including conch blowing by seven Brahmins, Vedic hymns by 108 young Brahmins, and Buddhist scripture recitation by 107 Lamas.
Balen is expected to form a small cabinet of 15 to 18 ministers. His RSP secured 182 of 275 seats in the House of Representatives, enabling a majority government.
In a historic upset, Balen defeated four-time Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli in Jhapa-5, a longtime stronghold of the Communist Party of Nepal (UML).
This marks the first general elections since last year’s Gen Z-led protests calling for generational change and a corruption-free government, signaling a major shift in Nepal’s political landscape.
