KATHMANDU , Nepal ( CNN ) -- Lawmakers in Nepal will vote Saturday to pick the country 's first president since it became a republic . Nepal became a republic after the deposal of King Gyanendra Shah earlier this year . The country 's newly elected Constituent Assembly abolished a 239-year monarchy following elections in April . But with no one party winning a majority of the seats , it is unclear who may become president . The position is largely ceremonial . But a president will swear in whoever is picked as the new prime minister . The three main political parties continued to negotiate over whom to name president . The Nepali Congress wants outgoing prime minister and party president Girija Prasad Koirala for the position . The Communist Party of Nepal ( United Marxist-Leninist ) wants its leader . But the Maoists -- which won the largest number of seats but fell short of a majority -- do not favor either of the two men . They want a non-political figure as president . Journalist Manesh Shrestha contributed to this report .
Elections in order to to pick the country 's first president since it became a republic . Unclear who may become president as no party had a majority in recent elections . Maoists , who won most seats , want a non - political candidate as president .