Nepal assembly to elect new prime minister Monday

Associated Press

KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Nepal's assembly will elect the Himalayan nation's new prime minister next week, the parliament speaker announced Wednesday.

Parliament Speaker Surya Bahadur Thapa said candidates will have to file their name by the weekend before members vote on Monday.

None of the political parties won a majority of votes in the Nov. 19 national election, so the parties must form a coalition government.

The largest party, Nepali Congress, hopes to head the coalition and for its leader, Sushil Koirala, to be prime minister. Nepali Congress party leaders have been negotiating with other parties on joining their government.

Supreme Court chief judge Khilraj Regmi has been running an interim administration to govern the country since last year.