On Monday, KP Sharma Oli took the oath as prime minister of Nepal for the fourth time, spearheading a coalition government that would work to stabilise the country’s politics. On Sunday, President Ram Chandra Paudel formed a coalition with the Nepali Congress (NC), the biggest party in Parliament, and other smaller parties; he also appointed the head of Nepal’s biggest communist party.
The 72-year-old Oli assumed his position following Friday’s vote of no confidence that forced Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” from office. Since the Nepali Congress was still settling its internal conflicts, President Paudel postponed the oath-taking ceremony at Shital Niwas, where Oli, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist, was sworn in.
Along with 19 other ministers, the President also gave oaths to Deputy Prime Ministers Prakash Man Singh and Bishnu Paudel.
The Nepali Congress has ten ministers in the new cabinet, the CPN-UML has eight, the Janata Samajwadi Party has two, and the Lokatantrik Samajwadi Party has one. Foreign diplomats and outgoing Prime Minister Prachanda were present for the ceremony.
Oli, previously Prime Minister from 2015–2016 and 2018–2021, must secure a vote of confidence from Parliament within 30 days. This vote is anticipated to be easy.
