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Once the Maoists had gained control of the Nepal assembly following April's election, it was only a matter of time before King Gyanendra was deposed. Despite there being a 240-year history of rule by the Shah dynasty, the monarchy lost much favour with the people following the 2001 massacre in which the then-Crown Prince Dipendra killed his family and several other royals.
Nepal is now "an independent, indivisible, sovereign, secular and inclusive democratic republic nation" according to proposals made by the majority Maoist party, which has two years in which to draft a new permanent constitution. But already arguments are taking place on how the affairs of state will be run during the interim, and who will be the acting president - a position that could strongly influence the inevitable outcome of any future election. However, the Constituent Assembly has 601 members and is far more representative of Nepal's diversity than any previous legislative body.
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