Opinion | No questions asked
Summary
Nepal's upcoming elections occur amid youth protests and demands for change, with major parties showing gradual inclusion but lacking clear agendas, while new parties exploit anti-incumbency sentiment without detailed policies.
Key Points
- Nepal's elections have traditionally been contested along ideological and economic lines, with recent contests focusing on structural social and political reforms.
- After youth protests causing casualties, the upcoming elections were expected to focus on youth concerns, but political discourse is fragmented and lacks nuanced debate.
- Major parties like Nepali Congress and UML have attempted to become more inclusive in leadership and candidate selection, yet still reflect privilege and underrepresentation of women and marginalized groups.
- New parties such as the Rastriya Swatantra Party exploit youth appeal with younger candidates but lack detailed political agendas, relying more on popular protest imagery than policy specifics.
