On Sunday, Nepali citizens went to the polls to elect a new parliament, with the election being heavily influenced by popular discontent with the country’s ageing political class and concern about its fragile economy. There is a sense that the government is out of touch with Nepal’s urgent concerns because of the prime ministers’ frequent changes, the majority of whom have been in office for less than a year. With established parties whose leaders have walked the halls of power for decades, some younger candidates are making their maiden appearances in this year’s race.
However, many voters have lost trust in the existing quo, and a thirst for change is palpable. Analysts predict that Nepal’s firmly established political veterans will once again control the next parliament.
The second round of elections since the terrible Maoist insurgency in Nepal came to an end in 2015, when a new constitution was adopted, will take place on Sunday.
The country’s monarchy was abolished in 2006 after the civil war, which had cost more than 17,000 lives and brought the erstwhile rebels into the government, came to an end.
Since that time, different alliances between the former guerrillas and the established Congress and another communist party have seen them take turns ruling.
However, Nepal’s parliament has frequently been marked by political unrest, and no prime minister has ever held office for the whole duration of a war.
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The longstanding rivalry between Nepal’s two neighbours, China and India, has been difficult for administrations of all sorts to manage at a time when Western anxiety over Chinese-funded mega-projects in the nation is growing.
(With inputs from agencies)
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