The year 2024 is becoming an election year in the global arena. An overwhelming 2 billion voters in 50 countries will turn to the polling centres to cast their ballots exercising their universal franchise, a beauty of democracy to elect their representatives to govern.

WASHINGTON, March 1: Democracy faced sharp, widespread setbacks worldwide in 2023 with violence and manipulation marring a series of elections, Freedom House said Thursday.

Corruption and Moral Bases of Democracy

February 29, 2024 08:30 am

A number of economic scandals, being continuously exposed one after another in recent years, have raised grave questions about the moral fabric of Nepal’s democracy. As most of the already unfolded scandals have been found to be treated with an undesirable degree of superficiality, the moral crisis in the Nepali political spectrum is getting further deepened.

The ever-increasing prevalence of online misinformation and disinformation has emerged as a significant threat to democracy today. This has also undermined the fundamental pillars of democracy such as law, information and representation, resulting in chaos and mistrust in the democratic system. Disinformation is often weaponized by political entities and frequently launched, targeting the general population to destroy their sense of reasoning, thereby creating mistrust in institutions, the system, government, and the democratic process as a whole.

KATHMANDU, Feb 19: There is a saying - democracy dawned in Nepal in 2007 BS but the people of Jumla came to know about it only in 2008 BS! The essence of this saying is that the residents of remote and rural Jumla, which is far away from the capital, got the news of the arrival of democracy too late due to the lack of transport and communication.

KATHMANDU, Feb 19: President Ram Chandra Paudel has expressed belief that democracy fosters national unity along with social justice, equality, social harmony and prosperity.

LONDON Jan 11: More than 50 countries that are home to half the planet's population are due to hold national elections in 2024, but the number of citizens exercising the right to vote is not unalloyed good news. The year looks set to test even the most robust democracies and to strengthen the hands of leaders with authoritarian leanings.

Academicians, political leaders, youth activists, and civil society representatives express concerns over the erosion of democratic principles and values and shrinking civic space.

On September 20 this year, Nepal marked the eighth anniversary of the promulgation of the constitution. The Constitution of 2015 holds special significance as it was drafted by the Constituent Assembly, which brought about a major political shift in the country by adopting federalism as a system of governance.

KATHMANDU, Sept 20: Acting Prime Minister and Defence Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka has said that the government is continuously effortful towards giving an impetus to the constitution implementation and fulfilling the aspirations of the country and people by establishing political stability, peace and good governance.

KATHMANDU, Sept 19: Former Chairperson of Council of Ministers, Khil Raj Regmi, has extended his wishes that the Constitution Day would inspire everyone to uphold constitutional procedures and the rule of law, making a way towards a happy journey of democracy and prosperity.

Whither Political Ideology

August 23, 2023 08:32 am

There was a time when politics was taken as a field of study with deep interest and politicians were given due respect because of their conviction, dedication, and service to society. Leaders were taken as the harbinger of change and acclaimed. But today, the scenario has dramatically taken a U-turn where politicians are taken as scoundrels, and thieves of the treasury because of their changed role and contribution to society with a bad name.

Nepal, a landlocked country situated in the Himalayas, has witnessed significant political changes and challenges over the years. With a diverse population and a complex socio-political landscape, political parties have played a crucial role in shaping Nepal's governance and democracy. However, recent developments have raised questions abo, ut the future of political parties in the country.

KATHMANDU, July 6: The CPN (Maoist Center) has said its serious attention has been drawn toward the 'misinterpretation' of the statement about Sardar Pritam Singh made by party Chairman and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Democracy in Disarray

June 19, 2023 09:00 am

Nepal is losing its momentum in meeting the expectations of its people as a flourishing democratic nation with prosperity and advancement. In the 15 years following the announcement of Nepal as a federal democratic republic in 2008, and particularly after the promulgation of the constitution under a new political setup, the country is descending into chaos, exhibiting all the characteristics of a failed or failing state.

KATHMANDU, May 5: Speaker Devraj Ghimire has described the right to information (RTI) as the lifeline of democracy.

Nepal, like many countries, faces the challenge of systemic corruption in various sectors, including politics. As the country strives to strengthen its democracy and promote fairness in the political process, one tool that is gaining some attention is public financing of elections.

KATHMANDU, Feb 10: Chairman of Nepal Samajwadi Party and former prime minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has said that today’s alternative politics is all about strengthening institutions by strengthening democracy.

A functioning democracy is built on the foundation of transparency, without which it cannot truly be called a democracy. The people choose democracy as their system of governance because it empowers them with the right to know and understand the actions of their elected representatives.

Ethereum’s Political Ideology

November 28, 2022 16:49 pm

Nepal should also replace representative democracy with direct democracy. Until then, we have to keep electing young and competent politicians in the general elections. It is always good to see Millennials sweeping into public offices.

KATHMANDU, Nov 17: Prime Minister and Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that it is everyone’s responsibility to make the historic elections to the House of Representatives (HoR) and provincial assemblies scheduled for November 20 a success.

NAWALPARASI WEST, Nov 16: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has called for the victory of the ruling coalition in the November 20 elections for the defense of democracy and the constitution. Addressing an election gathering held on Tuesday, he said that it is necessary for the ruling alliance to win for economic prosperity along with peace, constitution and democracy.

KATHMANDU, June 27: Newly appointed Minister for Urban Development, Metmani Chaudhary, has directed employees at the ministry and other subordinate bodies to perform and deliver in accordance with the Constitution and the relevant laws.

The fact that politically unaffiliated dynamic young candidates like Balen Shah and Harkaraj Sampang Rai were elected as the mayors of two big cities of Nepal shows a new local political movement has arrived in Nepal as well. This type of political movement is known as Flatpack Democracy - a small-scale revolution that is bringing real change to local politics. Citizens are reclaiming their respective cities from political parties.

The elements of a functional democracy must include the following: separation of power, independent judiciary, direct or indirect participation of the people, rule of law, transparency of the government officials, safeguard of fundamental rights, free and fair elections, to name a few. I challenge any of our contemporary political leaders to say if even half of these parameters have been met in Nepal.

DANG, May 9: Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that the current coalition was forged among political parties that are in favor of democracy and transformation.

MAKWANPUR, May 2: CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli has said local level elections should be conducted effectively to keep parliamentary democracy intact.

Living a hypocritical way of life is oxymoronically comfortable, but the sad reality is that, doing so, we are marching toward a society characterized by ‘individual brilliance and collective failure’.

Local Election, National Importance

February 22, 2022 06:30 am

Democracy seems to delight people only as long as they feel they are getting fast, fair and free services from the local bodies.

Intraparty Democracy at Stake in Nepal

January 27, 2022 06:30 am

This escalating ideological crisis within the political parties, lack of vision and clear action plan, disregard to the democratic norms in the selection of party leadership, sidelining the issues of inclusion as envisioned by the Constitution of Nepal, leaves ample grounds for suspicion on the ability and intention of political parties to institutionalize the nascent republican system of governance in Nepal.

A Cyber-Libertarian View on Monarchy

January 26, 2022 06:30 am

What will happen if the AI governance setup of the future feels a monarchy in a democratic setup is preferable to the anarchy created by dysfunctional democracy?

There are a host of issues before the election commission and the state to address as a challenge in order to strengthen and defend the electoral democracy, fostering more inclusive and participatory elections.

Hope is all we have. Let’s hope 2022 will be a productive year in Nepal’s journey to peace and prosperity. Let’s hope we all will let our hopes, not our hurts, shape 2022.

In Defense of Democratic Institutions

December 16, 2021 10:50 am

When the judiciary, constitutional and regulatory bodies are turned into epicentres of corruption, run by nominees notorious for their malpractices or nominated through unconstitutional processes, there is nothing which makes us optimistic about a democratic polity.

Why is democracy failing to deliver?

November 28, 2021 06:30 am

Democracy, "of the people, by the people, and for the people” cannot tolerate political nexus with foreign agents, syndicate, nepotism, intolerance, oligarchy, plutocracy, kleptocracy, commissions, corruptions and lawlessness including exemption from punishment to bigwigs and politicians suspected to be liable for criminal offences, which signify mockery of Federal Democracy, and Legislative, Executive and Judiciary as becoming dysfunctional – a recipe for the next democratic revolution.

DEUKHURI, Nov 4: CPN-UML leader Shankar Pokhrel has said that the dispute of judges of the Supreme Court and launching the agitation is the game to weaken democracy.

KATHMANDU, Nov 3: Former Chief Justice (CJ) Kalyan Shrestha has said that the democracy of Nepal has evolved into a company. He made the comment while speaking at a book release program on Wednesday.

TUNIS, July 26: Tunisia faced its biggest crisis in a decade of democracy on Monday after President Kais Saied ousted the government and froze the activities of parliament, a move his foes labelled a coup that should be opposed on the street.

No, Mr Prime Minister!

June 26, 2021 13:09 pm

KP Oli’s tendencies are wholly and growingly anti-democratic. He seems to hold no conception that an MP’s power to vote in parliament is derived from the trust from the sovereign people, and not from the party’s chairman.

Faltering Intraparty Democracy

May 25, 2021 12:38 pm

The deepening crisis of intraparty democracy brushes off the achievement of democratic values and legal standards and creates a feeding ground for brutal and egregious dictators. We are, in a true sense, living under a dictatorship.

Erosion of elections

March 5, 2021 08:00 am

The idea of elections has changed from an eagerly awaited event to an occurrence that could be good or bad but necessary for the continuance of the present political system.

Polish democracy in the crosshairs

February 23, 2021 08:10 am

Thirty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the abolition of censorship, and the collapse of the Soviet Union, Poland’s civil society is again defending its hard-won democracy from a state determined to do away with it.

The Internet versus democracy

January 24, 2021 08:00 am

In a decade punctuated by the global financial crisis, the COVID-19 crisis, a racial-justice crisis, an inequality crisis, and now a political crisis, we have only paid lip service to lofty democratic ideals.

Messing up the system

January 22, 2021 08:00 am

When a government elected with an overwhelming majority dissolves the House due to the failure and inability to manage intra party wrangling and discord, it could become a bane for democracy.

The eternal promise of the Arab Spring

January 20, 2021 08:38 am

For any regime, gradual change is surely preferable to the prospect of an abrupt upheaval that threatens to replace those in power with a power vacuum.

The Arab spring ten years later

December 21, 2020 07:52 am

As 2021 begins, the geopolitical terrain in the Arab world will continue to shift. The outcome will depend on whether or when the goal of democracy mobilizes Arab populations once again.

What is pro-monarchy protest all about?

December 10, 2020 07:27 am

Because of the government’s inability to provide ‘freedom from’ things like exploitation, corruption and poverty, citizens are thinking about giving up on ‘freedom to’ with hopes that a monarch might at least be able to provide the former.

Musings on democracy

October 22, 2020 06:10 am

The fact that I, a foreigner, can write this article and it is published is an example of how democratic norms have been rooted in the fabric of Nepali society.

What went wrong with Nepali democracy?

August 28, 2020 11:16 am

Such is the nature of our present education system that the younger generation knows more about the policies of Obamas and Trumps than about their own MPs or the changes they have brought or proposed.

The legacy of Madan Bhandari

June 30, 2020 13:00 pm

Madan Bhandari is one politician of the Left on whom there has been significant discussion in the mainstream polity of Nepal. And yet, one feels that the narrative is inadequate. Despite all that has been written and said, the very fact that that he led a communist party makes academicians and writers hesitate to properly locate his contributions in Nepal’s 70 years of democratic struggle.