By Baron Henri Estramant.
Nepal’s parliament has elected women rights campaigner Bidhya Devi Bhandari as its first female president of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.
She is the second person to hold the mainly ceremonial role. Ms Bhandari shall thus replace President Ram Baran Yadav, who was the country’s first elected president in 2008 after Nepal abolished its Hindu monarchy in 2008 with the deposition of King Gyanendra. Nepalese presidents are supreme commanders of the armed forces yet the office is largely ceremonial.
The 54-year-old is currently the vice-chair of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist). Bhandari was defence minister from 2009 to 2011. As president, she has promised to champion minority and women’s rights in Nepal. Earlier this month, Nepal’s parliament chose its new prime minister, Sharma Oli. Bidhya Bhandari is a close ally of the new prime minister, from the same nominally communist party. She has long been a political activist in a male-dominated society.
For more information:
Office of the President of Nepal: www.presidentofnepal.gov.np/
