Balen Shah Becomes Nepal’s Youngest Prime Minister
Rapper turned politician secures sweeping mandate, ushers in generational shift in Nepal’s leadership
KATHMANDU, Mar 27: Balendra Shah, popularly known as Balen, was on Friday appointed as the Prime Minister of Nepal, becoming the youngest leader to assume the country’s highest executive office.
President Ramchandra Paudel appointed the 35 year old leader, who heads the parliamentary party of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), under Article 76 (1) of Nepal’s Constitution, according to an official statement from the President’s Office.
Balen, a former rapper who transitioned into politics, also made history as the first prime minister from the Madhes region. His swearing-in ceremony is scheduled to take place at Sheetal Niwas, where the President will administer the oath of office and secrecy.
The ceremony is expected to reflect Nepal’s rich cultural heritage, blending Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Rituals will include conch blowing by Brahmins, recitation of Vedic hymns, and chanting of Buddhist scriptures by Lamas.
Following his appointment, Balen is likely to form a compact cabinet consisting of around 15 to 18 ministers.
His rise marks a significant political shift in Nepal, with voters backing a new generation of leadership over traditional parties. In the recent general elections, the Rastriya Swatantra Party secured a decisive majority, winning 182 out of 275 seats in the House of Representatives, enabling it to form the government independently.
The elections came in the aftermath of widespread youth-led protests demanding systemic reforms and an end to corruption. Balen, who previously served as the mayor of Kathmandu, capitalised on this momentum and emerged as a symbol of change.
In a major electoral upset, he defeated former prime minister K P Sharma Oli in the Jhapa-5 constituency, a long-time stronghold of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist).
