King Gyanendra ended on Monday night his rule over Nepal in an announcement on national television, reinstating the Parliament, which will be led by the seven main opposition parties.

This announcement comes after weeks of heated protests, aimed at removing the king from power, organized by the opposition's seven-party alliance and the Maoist rebels. Millions of Nepalese took part in the protests which killed 15 and injured over 5,000 people.

"We call upon the Seven Party Alliance (Seven main opposition parties) to bear the responsibility... while ensuring permanent peace and safeguarding multiparty democracy", Gyanendra stated.

The political crisis in Nepal worsened after the Maoist armed rebellion in 1996. Following the royal massacre in 2001, King Gyanendra dissolved the House of Representatives of the Nepalese Parliament and took power over the country.

He appointed pro-royal prime ministers in 2 years to run his royalist government. Protesters celebrated on Tuesday the nomination, by the opposition leaders, of a former prime minister who will form a new government in a few days. The king's resignation is the first step in a series of political maneuvers, which will lead to a new Constitution.

"By accepting the so-called royal proclamation, the leaders of these seven political parties have once again made a blunder," said the Maoists in a statement.

"Many areas that the new government will need to address are areas that the UN has extensive experience in. The party leaders know that we stand ready to help, particularly in the area of monitoring elections for example," said Matthew Kahane, UN representative in Nepal.

"Many details need to be ironed out, but fundamentally this new development presents a real opportunity to address some of the political issues holding Nepal back," the man added.