Opinion | Federalism on the ballot
Summary
Nepal's upcoming 2026 election centers on demands for better governance and federalism reforms after the Gen Z movement challenged political accountability. Major parties pledged to strengthen federalism in their manifestos but largely failed to implement these commitments while in power.
Key Points
- Nepal's 2026 election follows the Gen Z movement's demands for better governance, accountability, and structural reforms including federalism.
- Major political parties like CPN (UML), Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Centre), and Janata Samajbadi Party made federalism commitments in their 2022 manifestos but largely failed to implement them.
- Election manifestos are critiqued as symbolic rather than binding, with real federal reforms hindered by political coalition dynamics and bureaucratic inertia.
- The upcoming election is framed as a test of political credibility where parties must turn federalism promises into concrete action to regain public trust.
