Millions of Nepalis have voted in the first elections held after the country adopted a new constitution in 2015. Around 8 million people in southern Nepal voted on Thursday, Dec. 7, which is around 67 percent of the eligible voters in the region. The northern region of Nepal voted on Nov. 26, and tallying of those votes began Thursday.
This year’s elections are seen as a critical moments in Nepal’s history to bring stability to the tiny mountainous country. Nepal has changed governments 25 times over the last 27 years, and a decade-long civil war ended in 2006. The conflict eventually forced Nepal’s king to give up the monarchy in 2008. It took nice years after the civil war ended for Nepal to agree to a new constitution.
Thursday’s election will form new national and provincial assemblies, essentially creating a whole new system of government.