Situating Nepal’s current political moment in the long history of feudalism to republican democracy
The Rastriya Swatantra Party’s stunning sweep in the March 2026 elections, securing an absolute majority in the House of Representatives and a majority of votes in the proportional representation system as well, marks a new rupture in Nepali politics. Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, who resigned as Kathmandu’s mayor to lead the RSP’s campaign since January 2026,…