On Friday Nepal’s provisional parliament voted the motion that will abolish the 240-year-old monarchy and turn the country into a republic. This move comes as a part of the negotiations with former Maoists rebels in order to reach a peace deal.

The parliament voted for the country, which once was the only Hindu kingdom in the world, to be a “federal democratic republican state,” Reuters reports.

However, the decision will apply only after the motion will be approved by a first meeting of a special assembly. This assembly is expected to be elected by mid-April next year.

The motion approves an agreement which was reached earlier this month by political parties regarding the abolishing of the monarchy.

It passed with 270 votes of the 329-seat parliament, including the Maoists. Three votes were against it. The result of the votes was read live on TV by the parliamentary officials.

Through this motion Nepal will become a federal republic and the powers in the state will be held by the prime minister, according to the Associated Press.

After the voting, Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula said: “Today's vote has made sure the king will be removed immediately after elections. The king will have absolutely no power left until the elections.”

The agreement on abolishing the monarchy was also signed by the Maoists.

Last year it was settled that the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly will be the one that will decide the fate of the king.

With this motion it is decided that the king will be removed.

Last year the Maoists renounced their battle in order to join the peace process in April 2006. This occurred after pro-democracy protests were held in order to force King Gyanendra to quit his authoritarian rule.

Last January the Maoists entered the Parliament and three months later the government.

They’ve asked for the king to be removed and in September they’ve left the government. Elections which were scheduled to be held in November were postponed and Nepal is now facing a political crisis.