Nepal's prime minister wins confidence vote in parliament, his fourth since taking office

KATHMANDU, Nepal -- Nepal’s prime minister will continue leading his shaky governing coalition after winning his fourth vote of confidence in two years on Monday.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal called the vote in Nepal's lower house of parliament after a minor party in his coalition broke apart and its members withdrew support from the government. Dahal won the vote with 157 votes, a majority of the 272-member house.

Dahal has struggled to keep his coalition together since becoming prime minister in December 2022 following an inconclusive election. Dahal's Nepal Communist Party Maoist Center came in third in that election, but was the first party to piece together majority support.

That left him in a precarious position. He has had to switch coalition partners to keep his majority.

The latest challenge is allegations that his Home Minister was involved in financial irregularities involving cooperatives.

Opposition lawmakers are demanding the minister resign and have been protesting for days inside the House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament, shouting slogans and trying to block the vote of confidence on Monday.

Security officers had to block the protesters to make the vote possible.

Dahal briefly told the protesting members it was unfair for them to protest during an important vote while he was doing all he can to work with them.