Electoral systems, parties and govt structure

The Gen Z protest in Nepal was sparked by the government's ban on social media, but was followed by a broader protest against corruption and the government in general. A transition government headed by former chief justice Sushila Karki is in place, and snap elections are called for in March 2026. There are vivid discussions about possible reforms, partly to the Constitution and partly to regular legislation. Many of the proposals are supposed to make governments more stable and fight corruption. These honourable objectives may be better achieved by adjusting some of the following suggestions.

- A Member Of The ASIA NEWS NETWORK

Both the constituent assembly (CA) and the House of Representatives (HoR) have been elected by a parallel mixed system. Now, 165 representatives are elected according to First-past-the-post (FPTP),and 110 by nationwide Proportional Representation (PR).

Critics are right that there are too frequent changes of government, but removing the PR system is not advisable. Karki’s is the 15th government since the 2008 CA elections. However, even in the 1990s, when the system was FPTP only, there were frequent government changes. This was mainly due to parties’ internal issues or rivalries within coalitions. The leading cause of instability seems to be the party culture where personal positions and power are prioritised over policies.