In Nepal, a former rapper is poised to become the youngest Prime Minister
Nepal’s latest election has delivered one of the most dramatic political upsets in the country’s modern democratic history.
Balendra Shah — better known as Balen — a 35-year-old rapper, engineer and former mayor of Kathmandu, is now poised to become the country’s youngest prime minister after his party surged to victory in parliamentary elections.
His rise marks a striking generational shift in a nation where political leadership has long been dominated by veteran figures from the same established parties.
He was a rapper
Long before entering politics, Balen Shah was known in Nepal’s music scene.
His rap songs often focused on corruption, inequality and frustrations with the country’s political system. The music helped him build a large following, particularly among younger audiences.
During last year’s protests, one of his songs — Nepal Haseko, Nepal Smiling — gained more than 10 million views on YouTube and became associated with the wider movement demanding political change.
Supporters later turned his image and lyrics into campaign symbols, with crowds chanting his name at rallies and singing campaign songs generated for social media.
He was an engineer
Before music and politics, Shah trained as a civil engineer.
After studying engineering in Kathmandu, he pursued a master’s degree in structural engineering at Visvesvaraya Technological University in Karnataka, India.
His professional background helped shape his political messaging. Throughout the campaign, he emphasised practical solutions to economic stagnation, highlighting issues such as job creation, education and healthcare for poorer Nepalis.
Nepal remains one of the poorer countries in the world, with limited job opportunities at home. Many young people leave the country each year to seek work abroad, often in difficult conditions.
He was Kathmandu’s mayor
Shah’s political breakthrough came in 2022, when he ran as an independent candidate for mayor of Kathmandu.
His victory shocked Nepal’s political establishment, defeating candidates from the country’s traditional parties.
As mayor, he became known for visible urban reforms in the capital. His administration launched clean-up drives, removed illegal structures and pushed programmes aimed at developing skills among young people.
However, his approach also drew criticism from rights groups, particularly over the use of police against street vendors as the city sought to clear roads and regulate informal businesses.
He became the face of a generational revolt
Shah’s rise to national prominence followed a wave of youth-led protests in September that toppled the government of veteran leader KP Sharma Oli.
The demonstrations began after the government imposed a ban on social media platforms but quickly expanded into wider protests against corruption and economic stagnation. At least 77 people were killed during the unrest.
In the election that followed, Shah’s Rastriya Swatantra Party rode a wave of anger towards the traditional political class.
Early results showed the party winning a majority of direct parliamentary seats, while Shah himself defeated the 74-year-old Oli in his own constituency.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
