Summary
Millions of people in Nepal have voted in the first general election since violent protests led by young people last year. The election is important because many younger voters want change due to issues like corruption and economic problems. Counting the votes for parliament's 275 seats will take several days, with results expected next week.
Key Facts
- Nearly 19 million people were registered to vote, including about a million first-time voters.
- The election follows protests that resulted in the fall of the government last September, with 77 deaths reported.
- Key issues in the election are corruption, economic stagnation, and inequality.
- The voter turnout was expected to be around 60%.
- Leading candidates are KP Sharma Oli, former prime minister, and Balen Shah, a former rapper turned politician.
- The election was largely peaceful, with a strong security presence.
- Vote counting is slow due to Nepal's difficult mountain terrain and ballots being counted by hand.
- Results are expected to be announced next week.
