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.

History

Nepal's political party system evolved from clandestine movements against autocratic rule, such as the Nepal Praja Parishad (1936), to the establishment of Nepali Congress in 1947. The 1990 Jana Andolan 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.

Political parties in Nepal are registered under the Political Parties Act, 2058 (2002) and the Political Party Registration Rules, 2063 (2007). 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.

Current landscape

As of 2025, the Election Commission has registered 137 parties, 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.

National parties

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A party registered with the Election Commission of Nepal is recognised as a national party only if it fulfils the two conditions listed below:

  • The party needs to win at least one FPTP seat in Pratinidhi Sabha.
  • The party gets at least 3% of the total valid proportional representation (PR) votes in Pratinidhi Sabha.

There are currently six national parties in Nepal.

{| class="wikitable sortable unsortable" style="text-align: center;"

! colspan="3" rowspan="2" scope="col" class="unsortable" style="width:20px;" |Party

! rowspan="2" |

! rowspan="2" |Founded

! rowspan="2" scope="col" class="unsortable" |Political<br />position

! rowspan="2" scope="col" class="unsortable" |Ideology

! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" |Leader

! colspan="2" |Federal Parliament

! colspan="7" |Provincial Assemblies

! colspan="2" |Local government

|-

!data-sort-type="number" |Pratinidhi<br />Sabha

!data-sort-type="number" |Rastriya<br />Sabha

!data-sort-type="number" |Koshi

!data-sort-type="number" |Madhesh

!data-sort-type="number" |Bagmati

!data-sort-type="number" |Gandaki

!data-sort-type="number" |Lumbini

!data-sort-type="number" |Karnali

!data-sort-type="number" |Sudur&shy;pashchim

!data-sort-type="number" |Heads

!data-sort-type="number" |Councillors

|-

|bgcolor=|

|frameless|50x50px

|<br /><br />

|RSP

|2022

|Centre

|Economic liberalism<br/>Progressivism<br/>Constitutional socialism

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|-

| bgcolor="" |

|frameless|50x50px

|<br />

|Congress

|1950

| to

|Social democracy<br />Democratic socialism

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|-

| bgcolor="" |

|frameless|50x50px

|Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist)<br />

|CPN-UML

|1991

|Centre-left to left-wing

|Communism<br />Marxism–Leninism<br />

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|-

|bgcolor=|

|center|50x50px

|Nepali Communist Party<br/>

|NCP

|2025

|Left-wing

|Communism<br/>Marxism–Leninism

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|-

|bgcolor=|

|frameless|50x50px

|<br /><br />

|SSP

|2025

|

|<br/>

|Harka Sampang

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|-

|bgcolor=|

|frameless|50x50px

|<br /><br />

|RPP

|1990

|

|<br/>Economic liberalism<br/>Hindutva

|Rajendra Prasad Lingden

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|}

</div>

Other parties currently represented in the Federal parliament

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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.

There are currently two such political parties which failed to achieve national status yet are represented in Nepal's Parliament.

|1951

|Unknown

|-

|Communist Party of Nepal

|1949

|1962

|-

|Nepal Praja Parishad

|1951

|1961

|-

|Samyukta Prajatantra Party

|1955

|Unknown

|-

|Communist Party of Nepal (Democratic)

|1979

|1991

|-

|Samyukta Janamorcha Nepal

|1991

|2002

|-

|Communist Party of Nepal (United)

|1991

|2005

|-

|Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre)

|1994

|2025

|-

|Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Chand)

|1997

|1998

|-

|Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist–Leninist)

|1998

|2002

|-

|Nepali Congress (Democratic)

|2002

|2007

|-

|Janamorcha Nepal

|2002

|2009

|-

|Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandidevi)

|2003

|2015

|-

|Communist Party of Nepal (Unified)

|2007

|2013

|-

|Rastriya Janashakti Party

|2007

|2013

|-

|Madheshi Jana Adhikar Forum, Nepal

|2007

|2015

|-

|Sadbhavana Party

|2007

|2017

|-

|Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party

|2007

|2017

|-

|Madheshi Jana Adhikar Forum, Nepal (Loktantrik)

|2009

|2017

|-

|Communist Party of Nepal Marxist−Leninist (Samajbadi)

|2010

|2013

|-

|Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party Nepal

|2010

|2013

|-

|Madheshi Jana Adhikar Forum (Republican)

|2011

|2017

|-

|Federal Socialist Party, Nepal

|2012

|2015

|-

|Rastriya Madhesh Samajbadi Party

|2013

|2017

|-

|Terai Madhesh Sadbhavana Party

|2013

|2017

|-

|Federal Socialist Forum, Nepal

|2015

|2019

|-

|Naya Shakti Party, Nepal

|2016

|2019

|-

|Rastriya Janata Party Nepal

|2016

|2019

|-

|Nepal Loktantrik Forum

|2017

|2017

|-

|Bibeksheel Sajha Party

|2017

|2025

|-

|Rastriya Janata Party Nepal

|2017

|2020

|-

|Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Democratic)

|2017

|2020

|-

|Nepal Communist Party

|2018

|2021

|-

|Samajbadi Party, Nepal

|2019

|2020

|-

|Rastriya Sadbhavana Party

|Unknown

|2013

|-

|Akhanda Nepal Party

|Unknown

|2017

|-

|Sanghiya Sadbhavana Party

|Unknown

|2017

|-

|Samajbadi Janata Party

|Unknown

|Unknown

|-

|Loktantrik Samajwadi Party, Nepal

|2021

|2025

|}

See also

  • Politics of Nepal
  • List of communist parties in Nepal
  • List of regional and ethnicity based parties in Nepal

References

  • List of parties at the Election Commission of Nepal