KATHMANDU—In a groundbreaking effort to modernize governance and give the nation’s youth what they truly want, Nepalese politics took a bold turn Thursday as Kathmandu rapper-mayor Balendra ‘Balen’ Shah officially joined forces with TV host and Rastriya Swatantra Party Chairman Rabi Lamichhane, forming a coalition many are already calling ‘government, but with better lighting.’

Addressing the crowd via TikTok livestream, Shah, 35, proclaimed, “Nepal has had enough of boring, non-rhyming politicians. We promise budget sessions with killer flows and zero corruption—except maybe in the second verse.” Lamichhane, 51, nodded enthusiastically, vowing to institute a national hotline for political advice, celebrity interviews, and impromptu lip-sync battles.

The alliance comes after a wave of youth protests resulted in the government’s ouster, with demonstrators demanding jobs, transparency, and ‘someone who can actually spit bars.’ “Frankly, I just want my prime minister to have at least 10k followers,” said 19-year-old protester Sushmita Shrestha, adding, “If he can drop rhymes while signing bills, even better.”

Political science professor Padam Gurung expressed cautious optimism, stating, “Nepalese democracy is finally entering the influencer era. If Parliament ever gets dull, at least we’ll have some tight freestyles and choreographed entry music.” The new coalition has already announced its first campaign promise: nano-influencer representation in the National Assembly and a 24/7 government reaction video channel to “improve transparency and relatability.”

Analysts predict the alliance could dramatically boost youth voter turnout, or at minimum, increase viewership on YouTube.