by Kalpit Parajuli

Khil Raj Regmi will replace Maoist Baburan Bhattarai. The country's main parties have accepted his appointment. He will lead the country until elections for a constituent assembly are held on 5 June. Smaller parties protest, claiming that the appointment of a chief justice to the post of prime minister is a violation of the constitution.

Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - The Chief Justice of Nepal Khil Raj Regmi is set to become the country's next prime minister. He will replace Maoist Baburan Bhattarai, in office since 28 August 2011.

The outgoing prime minister is behind a non-partisan cabinet as a way to bypass the deadlock caused by squabbling parties that have failed in five years to form a stable government and adopt a constitution.

The new prime minister, the fourth since the fall of the monarchy in 2007, will be in charge until elections to a constituent assembly are held on 5 June 2013.

Regmi has received the support of the main parties, including the conservative Congress Party and the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist, and is now waiting for the seal of approval of President Ram Barav Yadav. He is expected to take over the next few days.

However, a number of political groups have announced that they would demonstrate against the appointment, claiming it is unconstitutional since the new prime minister will retain his post as chief justice in violation of the principle of separation of powers.

• nepal
• political
• crisis
• prime
• minister
• khil
• raj
• regmi