Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala was sworn in on April 30 after King Gyanendra reinstated parliament following weeks of pro-democracy protests in Kathmandu. IFES' chief of party in Nepal, Staffan Darnolf, said Prasad Koirala is a veteran politician who plans to engage Maoist rebels in a political dialogue.

The Maoist rebels want parliament to set elections for a constituent assembly and to write a new constitution that would curb the king's powers. Darnolf estimates that elections could take place as early as this winter.

"Prasad Koirala has a good network with Maoists and advocates to talk with them to ensure an open dialogue," said Darnolf. "It's important the Maoists are involved in future political planning."

When Darnolf met with the head of the Election Commission of the Kingdom of Nepal after the April 27 appointment of the new prime minister, the commission asked him to submit briefings on constituent assembly elections in other countries as the country prepares for a new election cycle. This month IFES will train commission staff and regional elections officers on election administration.

Voter education also will be a top priority for Darnolf and his colleagues. "We're in a holding pattern because some of these issues need to be hammered out more," he said. "But the big issue is educating the public on what a constitution is and what a constituent assembly is. There needs to be a constant dialogue between the House of Representatives and the citizens, otherwise they'll lose the confidence of the people."

Protestors in Kathmandu ended days of demonstrations last week after King Gyanendra announced he would reinstate parliament. But Maoist insurgents are calling for an official end to Gyanendra's autocratic monarchy. A three-month cease-fire was set, but Darnolf said that the new government needs to meet with Maoists to discuss a permanent cease-fire.

Since Gyanendra agreed to reinstate parliament, conflict in Kathmandu has quieted significantly. The king's on-and-off curfew restricted cell phone service and closed business for days when tens of thousands of protestors filled Kathmandu's streets. At least 17 people died when police opened fire on the crowds. That led the international community, including the United States, Japan and human rights groups, to exert pressure on the king.

IFES' previous work involved operational support to the Election Commission of the Kingdom of Nepal. This included checking election procedures and voter education.

"Anything with elections is seen as part of the king's agenda," said Darnolf. "We're trying to avoid that. We need to make sure the election commission is professional enough and competent enough to organize elections well."

Darnolf said a special committee from the House of Representatives is looking into constituent assembly elections and will liaison with political parties and civil society organizations.

"The next two weeks will give a lot of clarity on the political transition in Nepal," said Darnolf. "We need the international community to support this process."