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 Nepalportal |
Nepal has a multi-party democracy, and the Election Comission of Nepal grants recognition to national-level and Province-level political parties based on objective criteria. A recognised political party enjoys privileges. The ECN periodically reviews the recognized party status.Only registered parties will be eligible to participate in the proportional electoral system [1] .
Nepal's political party system evolved from clandestine movements against autocratic rule, such as the Nepal Praja Parishad (1936) [2] , to the establishment of Nepali Congress [3] in 1947. The 1990 Jana Andolan [4] restored multiparty democracy, and the 2006 movement led to the abolition of the monarchy, establishing a federal democratic republic. Communist parties, including the Maoist insurgents, have played a significant role in shaping modern Nepalese politics [5] .
Political parties in Nepal are registered under the Political Parties Act, 2058 (2002) [6] and the Political Party Registration Rules, 2063 (2007) [7] . Registration requires submission of statutes, manifesto, flag, election symbol, and signatures from at least 10,000 voters. Parties must hold internal elections, ensure inclusivity, and comply with democratic principles to maintain registration.
As of 2025, the Election Commission has registered 137 parties [8] , reflecting a highly fragmented political system. Governance is dominated by a few major parties, but smaller and regional parties influence coalition-building and local governance. Ideologically, Nepalese parties range from far-left Marxist-Leninist and Maoist groups to centrist social democrats and right-wing monarchist factions, with frequent mergers and splits shaping the political dynamics.
Nepal’s multi-party system continues to evolve, balancing national representation with regional and ethnic interests, making it a complex but vibrant democratic landscape. [9]
A party registered with the Election Commission of Nepal is recognised as a national party only if it fulfils the two conditions listed below: [10] [11]
There are currently six national parties in Nepal. [12]
| Party | Abbr. | Founded | Political position | Ideology | Leader | Federal Parliament | Provincial Assemblies | Local government | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pratinidhi Sabha | Rastriya Sabha | Koshi | Madhesh | Bagmati | Gandaki | Lumbini | Karnali | Sudurpashchim | Heads | Councillors | ||||||||
 | Rastriya Swatantra Party (National Independent Party) राष्ट्रिय स्वतन्त्र पार्टी | RSP | 2022 | Centre | Economic liberalism Progressivism | Rabi Lamichhane | 124 / 275 | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | 1 / 753 | 12 / 35,097 | |
 | Nepali Congress नेपाली काँग्रेस | Congress | 1950 | Centre to centre-left | Social democracy Democratic socialism | Gagan Thapa | 17 / 275 | 24 / 59 | 29 / 93 | 22 / 107 | 37 / 110 | 27 / 60 | 27 / 87 | 15 / 40 | 18 / 53 | 331 / 753 | 13,773 / 35,097 | |
 | Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) नेपाल कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी (एमाले) | CPN-UML | 1991 | Centre-left to left-wing | Communism Marxism–Leninism People's Multiparty Democracy | K. P. Sharma Oli | 8 / 275 | 11 / 59 | 40 / 93 | 23 / 107 | 27 / 110 | 22 / 60 | 33 / 87 | 10 / 40 | 10 / 53 | 205 / 753 | 11,929 / 35,097 | |
 | Nepali Communist Party नेपाली कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी | NCP | 2025 | Left-wing | Communism Marxism–Leninism | Prachanda | 7 / 275 | 17 / 59 | 17 / 93 | 17 / 107 | 28 / 110 | 8 / 60 | 10 / 87 | 14 / 40 | 30 / 53 | 150 / 753 | 6,131 / 35,097 | |
 | Shram Sanskriti Party (Labor Culture Party) श्रम संस्कृति पार्टी | SSP | 2025 | Agrarianism Grassroots democracy | Harka Sampang | 3 / 275 | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | N/a | ||
 | Rastriya Prajatantra Party (National Democratic Party) राष्ट्रिय प्रजातन्त्र पार्टी | RPP | 1990 | Centre-right to right-wing | Constitutional monarchism Economic liberalism Hindutva | Rajendra Prasad Lingden | 1 / 275 | N/a | 6 / 93 | 1 / 107 | 13 / 110 | 2 / 60 | 4 / 87 | 1 / 40 | 1 / 53 | 4 / 753 | 305 / 35,097 | |
A political party securing less than 3% of the PR votes will have to send its directly elected or FPTP candidates to the parliament as independent lawmakers. In other words, candidates from any political party failing to meet the criteria to become a national party will be ineligible to be represented in parliament as a party. [10] [13]
There are currently two such political parties which failed to achieve national status yet are represented in Nepal's Parliament. [12]
| Party | Founded | Political position | Ideology | Leader | Federal Parliament | Provincial Assemblies | Local government | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pratinidhi Sabha | Rastriya Sabha | Madhesh | Lumbini | Heads | Councillors | |||||||
 | People's Socialist Party, Nepal जनता समाजवादी पार्टी, नेपाल | 2020 | Centre-left to left-wing | Democratic socialism Minority rights | Upendra Yadav | N/a | 3 / 59 | 28 / 107 | 4 / 87 | 43 / 753 | 1,885 / 35,097 | |
 | Rastriya Janamorcha (National People's Front) राष्ट्रिय जनमोर्चा | 2006 | Far-left | Communism Marxism–Leninism Anti-federalism | Chitra Bahadur K.C. | N/a | 1 / 59 | N/a | 1 / 87 | 4 / 753 | 159 / 35,097 | |
| Party | Founded | Political position | Leader | Provincial Assemblies | Local government | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head | Councillors | Local councils | ||||||||
 | Janamat Party (Public Opinion Party) जनमत पार्टी | 2019 | Centre-left | CK Raut | Madhesh | 13 / 107 | N/a | 96 / 35,097 | 2 / 753 | |
| Lumbini | 3 / 87 | |||||||||
 | People's Socialist Party जनता समाजवादी पार्टी | 2024 | Centre-left to left-wing | Ashok Rai | Madhesh | 1 / 93 | N/a | 248 / 35,097 | 5 / 753 | |
| Lumbini | 2 / 87 | |||||||||
 | Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party (Nepal Workers Peasants Party) नेपाल मजदुर किसान पार्टी | 1975 | Far-left | Narayan Man Bijukchhe | Bagmati | 3 / 110 | N/a | 85 / 35,097 | 1 / 753 | |
 | Desh Bikash Party (Country Development Party)) देश विकास पार्टी | 2022 | Big tent | Ananta Raj Ghimire | Bagmati | 2 / 110 | N/a | N/a | N/a | |
 | Nepal Federal Socialist Party नेपाल संघीय समाजवादी पार्टी | 2016 | Centre-left | Mohammad Rizwan Ansari | Madhesh | 1 / 107 | N/a | N/a | N/a | |
 | Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party (Progressive Democratic Party) प्रगतिशील लोकतान्त्रिक पार्टी | 2025 | Left wing | Baburam Bhattarai | Gandaki | 1 / 60 | N/a | N/a | N/a | |
| Party | Political position | Leader | Local government | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head | Councillors | Local councils | |||||
 | Aam Janata Party (Common People's Party) आम जनता पार्टी | Far-left | Prabhu Sah | 1 / 753 | N/a | N/a | |
 | Nepal Janata Party (Nepal People's Party) नेपाल जनता पार्टी | Right-wing | Tribhuvan Nath Pathak | N/a | 10 / 35,097 | ||
 | Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch (Federal Democratic National Front) संघीय लोकतान्त्रिक राष्ट्रिय मञ्च | Centre-left | Kumar Lingden | N/a | 9 / 35,097 | ||
 | Nepali Congress (B.P.) नेपाली कांग्रेस (बि.पी.) | Centre-left | Sushil Man Sherchan | N/a | 7 / 35,097 | ||
 | Nepal Loktantrik Party (Nepal Democratic Party) नेपाल लोकतान्त्रिक पार्टी | Centre-left | Bhanuram Dagaura Tharu | N/a | 7 / 35,097 | ||
 | Rastriya Janamukti Party (National People's Liberation Party) राष्ट्रिय जनमुक्ति पार्टी | Centre-left | Khadak Prasad Palungwa | N/a | 7 / 35,097 | ||
 | Bahujan Shakti Party (Bahujan Power Party) बहुजन शक्ति पार्टी | Centre-left | Biswendra Paswan | N/a | 6 / 35,097 | ||
 | Bahujan Ekata Party Nepal (Bahujan Unity Party Nepal) बहुजन एकता पार्टी नेपाल | Left-wing | Harinandan Kumar Ranjan | N/a | 5 / 35,097 | ||
 | Nepal Sushashan Party (Nepal Good Governance Party) नेपाल सुशासन पार्टी | Ramesh Kharel | N/a | 4 / 35,097 | |||
 | Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Nepal Goodwill Party) नेपाल सद्भावना पार्टी | Anil Kumar Jha | N/a | 1 / 35,097 | |||
| Party | Political position | Founded | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pragatisheel Loktantrik Party (Progressive Democratic Party) प्रगतिशील लोकतान्त्रिक पार्टी | Left-wing | 2025 | Baburam Bhattarai |
| Ujyaalo Nepal Party | 2025 | Kulman Ghising | |
| Rastriya Pariwartan Party | 2025 | Rajesh Portel | |
| Janadesh Party | 2025 | Raman Kumar Karna | |
| Nagrik Unmukti Party, Nepal | 2025 | Resham Lal Chaudhary | |
| Rastriya Mukti Party Nepal | 2025 | Rajendra Mahato | |
| CPN (Maoist) | 2014 | Netra Bikram Chand | |
| Mongol National Organisation | 1989 | Gopal Gurung | |
| Nepal Pariwar Dal | Centre-right | Ek Nath Dhakal | |
| Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist–Leninist) | Left-wing | Chandra Prakash Mainali | |
| Shree Mahendra Dal(Shreemad), Nepal | Sushil K. Bisht | ||
| Khambuwan Rashtriya Morcha, Nepal | Ram Kumar Rai | ||
| Bouddhik Prajatantrik Parishad | Laxman Rajbanshi | ||
| Jana Jagaran Party Nepal | Lokmani Dhakal | ||
| Samajvadi Janata Party | Centre-left | Prem Bahadur Singh | |
| Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch (Tharuhat) | Rukmini Chaudhary | ||
| Madhesh Terai Forum | Amar Yadav | ||
| Nepal Communist Party (Marxist) | Far-left | Prakash Adhikari | |
| Communist Party of Nepal | Far-left | Rishi Ram Kattel | |
| Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum Madhesh | Bhagya Nath Gupta | ||
| Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist–Leninist-Socialist) | Far-left | Bishnu Raj Aryal | |
| Shiva Sena Nepal | Right-wing to far-right | Arun Subedi | |
| Nepal Sukumbasi Party (Loktantrik) | Hukum Bahadur Lama | ||
| Bahujan Samaj Party Nepal | Centre-left | Ganga Prasad Mahara | |
| Deshbhakta Paryabaraniya Samajik Morcha | Centre | Surendra Prasad Dhakal | |
| Rastrabadi Ekta Party | Uma Shrestha | ||
| Tamangsaling Loktantrik Party | |||
| Lok Dal | Kaushal Kumar Singh | ||
| Deshbhakta Samaj | |||
| Janashakti Nepal | Ram Kumar Ojha | ||
| Miteri Party Nepal | |||
| Rastriya Shiva Sena Party | Right-wing | Bikram Bahadur Bam | |
| Akhanda Sudurpashchim Party Nepal | Khagendra Awasthi | ||
| Nepal Prajatantrik Pragatisheel Party | |||
| Pichhadabarga Nishad Dalit Janajati Party | |||
| Janasamajvadi Party, Nepal | Centre-left | ||
| Churebhawar Loktantrik Party | Bhumiraj Niraula | ||
| Rastriya Churebhavar Party | Shiva Prasad Tamang | ||
| Chure Bhawar Rastriya Party | Keshav Prasad Mainali | ||
| Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekta Party Nepal | Badri Neupane | ||
| Rastriya Janata Dal Nepal | Bharat Prasad Mahato | ||
| Lok Kalyankari Janata Party, Nepal | |||
| Nepal Samajbadi Party (Lohiyabadi) | Centre-left | ||
| Gandhivadi Party Nepal | |||
| Rastravadi Party | |||
| Nepal Purvarastrasevak Loktantrik Party | |||
| Nepal Janaloktantrik Party | |||
| Nepal People's Party | |||
| Rastriya Jana Ekta Party | |||
| Hamro Party | |||
| Nepal Dalit Party | |||
| Hamro Party Nepal | |||
| Yuva Nepal Party | |||
| Nepal Loktantrik Janata Congress Party | |||
| Nepal Samajwadi Janata Dal | Left-wing | ||
| Nepal Bahudal Party | Ambika Rana | ||
| Prajatantrik Shakti Party | Centre-right | Ganesh Bahadur Shrestha | |
| Nepali Jantantra Party | |||
| People's Progressive Party | Centre-left | Jukti Jung Lamichhane | |
| Unnat Loktantra Party | N/A | Swagat Nepal |
This is a list of defunct political parties of Nepal that have had some representation in the legislature.
