Federalism and Political Reform Debate

Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda criticized the Falgun 21 election process, expressing doubts about irregular voting patterns and warning against attacks on federalism and inclusivity in Nepal’s constitution. He admitted internal party challenges and criticized short-term tactical focus over long-term strategy since the constitution’s formation.

An opinion highlighted risks of concentrating executive power in a directly elected chief executive, stressing federalism as essential to protect Nepal's plural societies and prevent authoritarianism.

Opposition parties challenged the Rastriya Swatantra Party's commitment to federalism following proposals to restructure or dissolve provincial assemblies, emphasizing the importance of federal structures.

Nepali Congress leader Krishna Sitaula alleged loss of independence in state bodies such as the judiciary and police, calling for constitutional amendments while preserving federalism's strengths.

Discussions introduced concepts of ‘dopamine government’ and ‘departure democracy’, describing challenges to Nepal's federal democracy and risks to inclusive representation.

Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal cautioned against weakening federalism, highlighting its achievement through struggle and emphasizing the need to protect rights of diverse ethnic groups. The party also drew attention to infrastructure issues, notably the damaged Kamala bridge isolating Siraha and Dhanusha districts.

Nepal's political debate focused on whether to retain a parliamentary system or adopt a directly elected executive to promote political stability, with experts warning this may not resolve deeper cultural issues.

Madhesh-centric parties and civil society leaders planned protests against the Rastriya Swatantra Party's proposal to abolish provinces and restructure federalism.

Provincial governments' combined budgets were significantly smaller than the federal budget, with provincial share shrinking due to limited revenue authority and skewed revenue sharing favoring the federal government.

Nepal's FY 2026-27 budget showed significant fiscal centralization, with declines in fiscal transfers to provincial and local governments despite constitutional provisions.

Debate intensified over proposed constitutional amendments for non-partisan local elections, with Rastriya Swatantra Party and Janata Samajbadi Party supporting it, while opposition parties criticized it as undemocratic.

Former National Assembly member Khim Lal Devkota highlighted prospects and challenges of implementing non-party local governments amid political and constitutional debates, expressing doubts about Rastriya Swatantra Party's commitment.

Nepali Congress MP Anand Prasad Dhungana demanded the government pass all federalism-related laws within the current parliamentary session, criticizing reliance on ordinances instead of proper legislation.