KP Sharma Oli, the newly appointed Prime Minister of Nepal, is scheduled to take a vote of confidence on July 21. Oli, 72 years old and the chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal–Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), took over the Prime Minister’s office on July 14. He was appointed by President Ram Chandra Paudel after the previous Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, lost a vote of confidence in parliament.
Oli was sworn in for his fourth term as Prime Minister on July 15. Mahesh Bartaula, the Chief Whip of CPN-UML, confirmed that Oli has informed the Parliament Secretariat about his intention to take the vote of confidence. According to Bartaula, an early vote of confidence would help Oli work more comfortably.
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Nepal’s constitution requires a Prime Minister to take a vote of confidence within 30 days of being appointed. Prime Minister Oli has chosen to take this vote on July 21 to ensure he has the confidence to work effectively. “It would give me more confidence and allow me to work properly,” Bartaula quoted Oli as saying.
The political events leading up to Oli’s appointment began on July 12 when President Paudel called on political parties to stake a claim for the Prime Minister’s position after Pushpa Kamal Dahal lost a trust motion. On the same day, Oli and Nepali Congress Party President Sher Bahadur Deuba jointly signed an application requesting the President to appoint Oli as the new Prime Minister.
Oli was backed by the Nepali Congress and other smaller parties, submitting signatures of 165 lawmakers to demonstrate majority support in the 275-member House of Representatives. The Nepalese constitution mandates that a Prime Minister must have the support of at least 138 members.
Oli’s political career includes multiple terms as Prime Minister. He first became Prime Minister in October 2015, shortly after the new constitution was promulgated, and served until August 2016.
After the general election in 2017, Oli formed a government with nationalist support, siding with China, and remained in power from February 2018 to May 2021. He was again appointed Prime Minister from May 2021 to July 2021 under a constitutional provision as the leader of the largest party in parliament.
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During his previous terms, Oli twice dissolved the parliament, but the Supreme Court reinstated it both times. A recent deal between Congress chief Deuba and UML chairman Oli outlines that their parties will lead the government on a rotational basis until the next general elections in 2027, although this agreement has not yet been made public.
As Oli prepares for the vote of confidence, his leadership and the support of the coalition will be critical in shaping Nepal’s political landscape in the coming years.
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