Nepal held its first general election on March 5 following the Gen-Z-led uprising, marking a major generational shift in the country’s political leadership. According to results from 159 constituencies released by Sunday evening, 59 candidates under the age of 40 were elected to the federal legislature, representing 38 percent of the total. This marks a sharp rise from the 2022 parliament, where only 11 percent of members were under 40.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) played a key role in this transformation, with 51 of the 59 young lawmakers coming from the party. The remaining young representatives include four from the Nepali Congress, two from CPN-UML, and one from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party. Notable new entrants include Balendra Shah, 35, from Jhapa-5; Sobita Gautam, 30, from Chitwan-3; Sulav Kharel, 28, from Rupandehi-2; and Rubina Acharya, 31, from Morang-6.

Analysts suggest the rise of young leadership signals potential policy shifts in education, governance, climate, and employment, though challenges may arise in aligning with Nepal’s entrenched bureaucratic structures.