Youth dominates representative assembly elections with 63% candidates under 50

Kathmandu – Following the GenZ protests, there has been a noticeable surge in youth candidates participating in the upcoming Representative Assembly elections. The Election Commission reports that 63% of the candidates are under the age of 50. Out of the 3,484 candidates who have registered for direct elections, 2,193 (62.94%) are below the age of 50, indicating a significant rise in youth involvement in the political process.

The minimum age required to stand for election is 25. Among the registered candidates, 583 are aged between 25 and 35 years, while 1,610 fall within the 36 to 50 age group. Notably, 67 women are in the 25-35 age bracket, and 235 women belong to the 36-50 age group. In comparison, 1,090 candidates (31.28%) are between 51 and 65 years old, and 201 candidates (5.76%) are over the age of 65.

This increase in younger candidates reflects the growing political engagement of youth, especially following the GenZ protests, which have pushed younger generations to take a more active role in shaping the nation’s future.