Nepal’s politics has entered a new era with the near two-thirds majority secured by the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) in the March 5 elections. Formed just three years ago, the party’s victory was unexpected and has brought youth leadership to the center of national politics. Carrying the key agendas of good governance and accountability, the new party achieved a decisive parliamentary victory and now has the opportunity to form the new government. The political transition that emerged after the September 2025 Gen Z uprising has come to an end. The interim government was successful to bring the country back on track by conducting peaceful elections of House of Representatives which was dissolved following the Gen Z movement.
In other words, Nepal’s shaken democracy has regained stability. This is a matter of satisfaction. With this shift, national politics is now largely in the hands of new and young leaders, while traditional parties have been sidelined. Nepali people, long weary of corruption and poor governance, have found renewed hope. The public has placed its trust in young leaders to deliver effective governance, improve public service delivery and embrace the spirit of reform. To sustain this trust, the government must deliver swift and visible improvements. It must fully utilize the power of its public mandate to gain public’s trust, especially among the younger generation. Expectations are high and meeting them will not be easy, but the government must do.
This political change carries a mandate not only to reform governance but also to improve the constitutional framework. However, the fundamental values mainly, federalism, inclusion, republicanism and parliamentary system- enshrined in Nepal’s 2015 Constitution and achieved after eight years of effort must remain intact. The issues of amendment should be constructive and identified based on a decade of practice and experience and aimed at widening and strengthening democracy.
For this, the government must build an environment of national consensus. Constitutional amendment requires agreement in both houses of Parliament, as well as broader support from political forces and civil society to ensure legitimacy. The youth-led RSP and government under Prime Minister Balendra Shah must lead this process with positive spirit, tolerance and responsibility. Nepal must not deviate from its commitment to an open and liberal democratic system.
At the same time, the government must act on key governance reforms. It should uphold the principles of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) by strengthening independent anti-corruption bodies, ensuring judicial independence, promoting transparency in public procurement, addressing conflicts of interest and protecting the role of civil society and the media in holding the power accountable. The government should also join the Open Government Partnership and adopt the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court to reinforce its commitment to transparency, justice and non-violent politics. Long pending transitional justice issues must be resolved with a victim-centered approach. The government should also improve its human rights records by ending the culture of impunity and strengthening national human rights institutions.
To support these efforts, long-delayed legal reforms related to freedom of expression, media freedom, civil society governance and digital governance should be expedited in line with international best practices and liberal democratic standards. Meeting the aspirations of a new generation through democratic reforms is now the government’s central responsibility. Strengthening the rule of law, ending impunity and safeguarding democratic institutions must be its top priorities. Any attempt to weaken these foundations risks triggering another political crisis.
Freedom Forum urges the government not to undermine the role of civil society and the independent press. We remain open to constructive collaboration to promote open, effective and good governance in line with the spirit of this political change. We will remain vigilant and committed to ensuring that cooperation between the government and civil society makes this democratic transition meaningful and successful. Happy New Year 2083!!
