From Revolution to Representation: Political Parties and the Democratization of Nepal

From Revolution to Representation: Political Parties and the Democratization of Nepal

Aijaz Ahmad Palla

Department of Political Science, University of Kashmir

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.9020356

Received: 14 February 2025; Accepted: 22 February 2025; Published: 24 March 2025

ABSTRACT

The research investigates the developing democratic system in Nepal by analyzing how political parties influence administrative practices and governmental cooperation, as well as party democratic measures and the inclusion of disadvantaged groups. As Nepal experienced its transition from monarchic rule to a federal republic, these political parties steered the country through multiple political obstacles, including party factionalism and weaknesses in leadership and division among regions. Research findings establish ways for political party advancement by implementing structural reforms combined with youth involvement and embracing inclusive guidelines, specifically during the present federal reform processes in Nepal. This research examines political party influence on policy creation along with national progress and democratic stability by studying past situations and modern social dynamics. The research examines the geopolitical factors created by India and China that shape the domestic political approaches of the country. Recommendations for future reforms help the paper strengthen party cohesion together with governance systems and inclusivity, which will create a better democratic and stability-focused political system for Nepal’s future.

Keywords: Political parties, Nepal, democracy, coalition-building, internal democracy, youth engagement, federal restructuring, governance, marginalized communities, geopolitical influence, political reform.

INTRODUCTION

Background

Nepal has experienced its most critical political development as it transitioned from the Royal Rule to a Republican Government. Before the 1990 People’s Movement (Jana Andolan), Nepal had maintained a monarchy that operated under a concentrated form of political management system. Under the Shah dynasty, royal rule restricted Nepali citizens from exercising political freedom and minimized how much democracy the country could implement, resulting in social disturbances across the nation. Through the 1990 People’s Movement, Nepal regained its multi-party democracy system, which started the nation on its journey towards democratic governance. Despite efforts to build a democratic system, the republican journey has struggled with political disarray, numerous governmental transitions, and weak unified political leadership. Political parties in Nepal maintain critical importance through their efforts in leading democratic development and by acting between state institutions and citizens while shaping the country’s political direction (Ghimire, Kafle, & Poudel, 2024).

Political parties in Nepal have developed in harmony with the progress of its political system since its inception. Nepali Congress (NC) and the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) led the political domain until smaller factions joined the scene following the civil war alongside the implementation of federalism. Political parties will be essential for democratic development in Nepal because they set political direction while enabling policy creation alongside public involvement (Bhatta, 2022). People utilize political parties to take part in elections, protect their rights, and make governments responsible for their actions.

Political parties stand as the vital promoters that determine the democratic destiny of Nepal in modern times. These political vehicles control all democratic operational aspects, which start with policy development and extend to government leadership. Many ethnic as well as regional groups from Nepal use their political parties to voice their social and political needs. The democratic system of Nepal depends on political parties that determine how the nation will develop during the upcoming years (Pandey, 2024).

Context of Study

Nepal has endured a troubled political background due to its repeated governance challenges, ongoing factional conflicts, and institutional instability. Nepal underwent multiple political revolutions through the 1996-2006 Maoist insurgency that culminated in the elimination of royal power and created the federal democratic republic during 2008. The transition to republicanism experienced multiple difficulties because political instability remained a dominant issue throughout Nepal. The political system characterizes itself through coalition governments that lack durability while parties battle to reconcile differences between different interests. The governance role of political parties becomes challenging because they experience both internal and external pressures when operating under these conditions, as identified by Sapkota et al. (2023).

After the 2015 Constitution introduced federalism in Nepal, political stability became even more difficult to achieve. The architects of Nepal’s new federal framework created a device to counteract ethnic as well as cultural and geographical differences by distributing governance power between national and local entities. The implementation of internal and external representation has improved Nepal’s inclusivity yet introduced novel difficulties for political parties. Political parties across Nepal are losing their dominance because local and ethnic parties now control the political landscape, while general national parties must adjust for survival in this environment. The changes to political power structures have deepened aggregation between major party factions because regional leaders defend stronger control and resources to serve local populations. Through federalism, the governance structure of Nepal changed, while political parties needed to update their strategies and policy approaches (Bhul 2024 and Pokharel 2023).

Research Objectives

The main pursuit of this research examines the effect political parties have had on Nepal’s development as a democratic nation. Political parties create the path of democracy in the country but require an examination of their activities across governance operations, electoral protocols, and federal governance systems. The research analyzes party political developments in Nepal through various milestones such as republican transformation and federalization and changing political circumstances and their impact on strategy development and policy creation.

The main goal of this investigation involves evaluating political party strategies when interacting with marginalized communities along with young people. The Nepalese political parties demonstrate historical difficulties in inclusion because multiple ethnic and geographical communities face non-inclusive representation. A substantial segment of Nepalese voters who fall within the youth category actively participate in political activities as well as party politics. The research studies political party reactions to various marginalized groups while examining the democratic development changes that stem from their acceptance or rejection in Nepal (Acharya, 2024). The research investigates the effects of political party interactions with different groups on their emerging policies and election strategies.

The research will investigate political party involvement in governance mechanisms and election systems while assessing their function. This research delves into parliamentary processes along with coalition strategies and policy development mechanisms of political parties operating in the Nepalese system. The study researches the function of party politics in democracy to showcase the current and future positioning of political parties in Nepalese governance (Adhikari, 2024).

Significance of the Study

The study demonstrates great significance due to its examination of how political parties in Nepal have developed since the country became a republic and initiated federal reforms. This study enhances academic studies of Nepalese democracy by examining the effects of political parties on democratic establishment development following post-conflict transformation and accelerated political changes.

Political party dynamics and their governance roles serve as essential knowledge that policymakers use to create superior structures for stability, democratic governance, and inclusive practices. This research provides critical knowledge that authorities can use in making future decisions regarding party system improvements and political institution development and increased voter participation for every societal segment (Ghimire et al., 2024).

The research results will provide a complete understanding of how Nepalese political parties handle their operations in nation-building issues of coalition governance and federalism management. The study examines the challenges and strategic actions political parties utilize to prove their significance in a political sector that’s increasingly fragmented. This research matters to the citizens because it teaches them how political parties steer national policy creation and promote democratic participation in the system. The described comprehension strengthens their voter capabilities and allows them to demand important system reforms that build a stronger inclusive democracy (Rai, 2021).

LITERATURE REVIEW

Political Parties and Democracy

Scholars across the board have engaged in ongoing academic discussions about democracy’s political party roles, which led to multiple theories describing their essential functions. Democratic political systems depend on political parties to create structural paths by which citizens participate in their political processes. Democratic frameworks consider political parties to be implementation agents that express popular opinions into governance policies, thus creating responsive public service. The public legitimacy of democracy relies on political parties that outline opposition options through structured electoral competition frames Gauja (2022). The function of democratic process survival depends heavily on political parties because they activate voters for campaigns, formulate governments, and establish national priorities.

In democratic environments, political parties hold fundamental importance in creating governance frameworks as well as defining the policies that shape governments across all levels. Political parties conduct policy negotiations while establishing ideological differences and supervising coalition relationships because these elements work together to ensure political equilibrium. The political parties in Nepal hold immense power during the transformation from monarch to republic. The democratic framework of Nepal has its origin in political parties that simultaneously strive to create policies backing the diverse requirements of Nepalese citizens (Gauja, 2022). A political platform and unified ideology function as essential elements for holding the government accountable because they enable democratic institutions to maintain proper functioning.

As per Katuwal (2023), research on Nepal’s political party systems demonstrates that the historical development of the country shaped democracy through its political parties. Since its transition to a multiparty democratic system, Nepal faces continuous challenges to achieve democracy consolidation because of deep factionalism, political turmoil, and the community’s complex structure. Coalition governments caused by multiple ideological factions within political parties create instability in governance and problems in democratic norm enforcement (Katuwal, 2023).

Political Parties in Nepal: A Historical Overview

Nepal’s political party development closely follows the entire historical path of the country since its foundation. Nepali political parties during their early stages formed because of dual forces against autocratic control and their push for democratic rights. The Nepali Congress emerged in the 1940s to be central in Nepal’s early democratic movement of 1950, thus establishing a constitutional monarchy while ending the control of the Rana oligarchy. Despite the period of decades where the monarch reigned over political parties Nepal received its democratic political system after the 1990 People’s Movement which Nepali historians call Jana Andolan.

In 1990 the People’s Movement established Nepal’s democratic path by reinstating multi-party democracy and establishing constitutional monarchy in the country. Nepal entered a moment of fast political change after this development took place. During the late 1990s and early 2000s Nepal experienced a drastic political evolution because of rising Maoist insurgency forces. The 2006 Jana Andolan succeeded in abolishing the monarch while creating a republic system through the 2008 elections thereby transforming political party participation in governing Nepal. Republicanism became the leading assignment of political parties who worked across the testing realities of ethnic discrepancies alongside national financial disparities (Adhikari 2024). The post-monarchical period brought extensive problems to political parties because they faced immense internal conflicts supplemented by multi-regional competitions.

Federalism and its Impact on Political Parties

Federalism brought significant political consequences to Nepal mainly by altering the position of political parties. Through Nepal’s 2015 Constitution, the country implements federalism to achieve power decentralization and establishment of autonomous local governments. The movement from a centralized system to federalism presents political parties with combined advantages and drawbacks. The institutional framework of federalism enables marginalized communities along with regional populations to get representation who earlier lacked a voice within centralized governance (Bhul, 2024). Regional political parties have become more prominent in recent times and now possess the capability to affect local governance and develop regional policy.

The introduction of federalism escalated Nepalese political fragmentation into multiple directions because each political party split into ethnic groups and regional blocs and ideological factions. New regional political parties have created a fragmented political system which makes coalition formation between different parties almost impossible. The establishment of local representation via federalism brings challenges to national parties according to Sapkota et al. (2023) who saw this system creating difficulties for parties to handle dual interparty relations between national and local levels. When several political entities with competing objectives join governance it leads to increased program delays which results in sub-optimal administrative performance.

Youth Engagement in Political Movements

Nepalese citizens of younger demographics continue to constitute an essential force that shapes the development of political policies while molding national discourse in the country. The youth population including those living in urban areas leads the charge of political activism to achieve democratic changes while fighting for social justice together with enhanced political involvement. Youth involvement in Nepalese political movements including the 2006 Jana Andolan and following protests became crucial for the demand of political transformation which led to a more inclusive political system (Acharya, 2024). The youth-led actions have maneuvered human rights and educational problems and employment challenges into the central debate of politics at the same time as compelling political parties to suit younger demographic demands.

Youth voters demonstrate a substantial impact on political parties because they make their demands for transparent governance along with democratic protection and accountability more audible. The Nepalese political parties understand the rising youth electoral power so they now concentrate their messaging on matters important to young people including education access, workforce availability, and digital empowerment (Pokharel, 2023). Young people who actively take part in political movements have caused political parties to alter their governance systems by demanding better representation of modern voter requirements.

Ethnic Representation and Marginalized Groups

The people of Nepal consist of many different cultural communities which requires a lasting effort to improve their influence on national government systems. Political parties in Nepal receive heavy criticism because they demonstrate insufficient representation toward minority groups such as those from ethnic and indigenous communities. Through the political process exclusion of numerous groups created social instability and political turmoil in history. One purpose behind the adoption of federalism by political systems has been to fulfill citizens’ calls for improved representation because it enables ethnic groups to exercise political and cultural autonomy (Pyakurel, 2023).

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

This study adopts a qualitative research approach to explore the dynamics of political parties in Nepal, with a particular focus on their role in the country’s democratic transition and federal restructuring. A qualitative approach allows for a deeper understanding of the complexities and subtleties of political behavior, party systems, and the interactions between various political actors. Since the objective is to explore the experiences, attitudes, and strategies of political parties in the context of democratic consolidation, federalism, and youth engagement, qualitative methods offer the flexibility to capture the nuances of these processes.

The case study method has been selected as the primary research design, as it facilitates an in-depth exploration of specific events and phenomena in Nepal’s political history. This study will focus on three major events:

1. The 2008 Constituent Assembly elections – A pivotal moment that marked the official end of monarchy and Nepal’s transition to a federal democratic republic, making it a pivotal case for understanding how political parties adapted to the democratic competition.
2. The local government elections – These elections played an important role in establishing grassroots democratic institutions and decentralizing governance.
3. The impact of federal restructuring post-2015 – The implementation of federalism reshaped Nepal’s political party dynamics, governance structures, and electoral strategies.

These case studies are selected using a purposive sampling method, because they represent key moments in Nepal’s transition to a republic and the implementation of federalism, offering valuable insights into how political parties have adapted to changing political environments. By examining these specific events, the study seeks to understand how political parties have shaped and responded to shifts in governance and electoral systems.

Data Collection

The study employs multiple sources of data through triangulation. Data sources include:

• Primary Data:
• Interviews with political leaders, policymakers, and scholars captured firsthand insights. These interviews will provide insights into the motivations, strategies, and experiences of those directly involved in or observing political party activities. The interviews will also offer a unique perspective on the challenges political parties face, particularly in relation to the engagement of marginalized groups and the youth, as well as the shift toward federalism.
• Field observations and informal discussions with party members to understand grassroots political engagement.

• Secondary Data:

• Official documents in the form of reports, election commission publications, and party manifestos. Government reports will offer valuable information on electoral processes, policy changes, and the impact of federal restructuring
• Academic Literature like Peer-reviewed journal articles, books, and policy papers. The academic articles will provide an in-depth theoretical foundation on political party systems, federalism, and democratic transitions.
• Media analysis to capture reports from national to international news agencies. Media publications will help understand public discourse and the representation of political party behavior during key elections and political events.

Analysis Techniques

To cross-analyzing data from different sources, the study tries its best to mitigate bias and strengthen its empirical foundation employing a combination of content analysis and comparative analysis.

• Content Analysis: The study will utilize content analysis to examine party manifestos, speeches, and policy positions of major political parties during the selected case study periods. This technique will allow for the identification of themes, priorities, and shifts in party rhetoric and policy positions over time. For instance, the study will analyze how political parties’ positions on federalism, ethnic representation, and youth engagement have evolved since the 2008 Constituent Assembly elections, through to the local elections and post-2015 federal restructuring.
• Comparative Analysis: A comparative analysis will be conducted to assess the behavior of political parties before and after federal restructuring. This will involve comparing the parties’ strategies, alliance-building, and policy positions in the pre-and post-federalism periods to understand how the introduction of federalism has influenced party behavior. The comparative analysis will also explore the role of regional and ethnic parties in the post-federal restructuring context, and how these parties have adjusted their tactics in the face of shifting political dynamics.

Limitations of the Study

While the methodology outlined offers a comprehensive approach to studying the political party dynamics in Nepal, the study is not without its limitations.

• Bias in Available Data: The research is dependent on available secondary data, which may not always represent a balanced or comprehensive view of the political landscape. Government reports and media publications might carry biases, especially in a politically sensitive environment like Nepal, where political allegiances may influence reporting and official documentation.
• Limited Access to Internal Party Documents: A significant limitation of this study is the lack of access to internal party documents, such as strategy papers, meeting minutes, and private communications. These documents would provide valuable insights into the decision-making processes and internal dynamics of political parties. Without access to such resources, the study must rely on publicly available documents, which may not fully capture the internal workings of the parties.
• Subjectivity in Interviews: While the interviews with political analysts, party leaders, and civil society representatives are a critical component of this research, there is an inherent subjectivity in gathering qualitative data through interviews. Political stakeholders may have personal biases or agendas that influence their perspectives, which could affect the objectivity of the information gathered. Efforts will be made to mitigate this by interviewing a diverse range of participants and cross-referencing the information provided.

Role of Political Parties in Nepal’s Democratic Evolution

Party Competition and Coalition Building

The democratic development in Nepal depends heavily on its political party activities. The development of democracy in Nepal significantly depends on the competitive nature of political parties together with their ability to unite effectively. The governing practices of Nepalese political parties continue to face difficulties because coalition politics stands as the primary factor that both creates new governments and sustains them in power. The continuation of governance through political coalitions creates conflicting outcomes regarding Nepal’s political stability because its multiple parties maintain differing party ideologies. Ghimire et al. (2024) state that coalition politics in Nepal operates like a two-sided instrument because it establishes political diversity but creates complications in governance when parties struggle to reach policy agreements.

The democratic system encounters stability problems because multiple political parties have become fragmented and party factionalism has intensified. Bhatta (2022) states that both geographic divisions among political groups and party internal conflicts lead to unstable government administrations. The government’s ineffective operation and obstructed policy planning and implementation results from political instability. The constant change of leadership both in individual roles and through coalitions between parties generates governance inefficiencies causing problems with democratic processes.

Influence of Political Parties on Governance

Parties that dominate Nepal’s government structure decide both national development direction and policy formation and governing affairs. Racing the nation forward with national policy directions remains dependent on political parties since they lead legislative and executive functions. Public administration provides an exemplary example of political party power through their preferred appointments of governmental personnel with party affiliations. Kumar (n.d.) demonstrates that political parties play a critical role in policymaking by designating their ideological position to guide the policy agenda. Public administrator political ties may work against meritocratic principles because patriots values frequently outweigh professionalism in their selection process.

Govemance suffers fundamental consequences when political stability remains unstable. Rai (2021) indicates that political parties in Nepal struggle to maintain lasting alliances while their constant realignment processes create multiple periods of government policy stasis. Long-term developmental plans face severe implementation obstacles because of political instability which causes Nepal to struggle with achieving consistent nationwide development through continuous policies. The nation’s basic democratic structures depend heavily on political parties but they persistently face instability which produces disruptions to governance along with lengthy delays for implementing essential reforms.

Internal Party Democracy

The political environment of Nepal faces major influence from internal democratic functioning within its political parties. Nepal has achieved advancements in its democratic development but political parties maintain increasingly autocratic internal structures. According to Pyakurel (n.d.) political parties retain their centralized organization structure because many of them have maintained their heritage authority and their top leaders exercise excessive power. Without democratization inside political groups members from lower levels face reduced ability to engage and new leaders become unable to ascend through the system. The factional infighting within the party along with some leaders’ predominance hinders the ability of ordinary members to engage actively while undermining the democratic system.

In a paper published by Adhikari (2024) the author demonstrates that political parties structure determines democratic participation levels in their own organization. The absence of democracy within parties creates distance between leaders and base supporters which lessens motivational power among party members alongside restricted involvement in leadership decision-making processes. Patronage systems combined with personal loyalty practices instead of ideological or democratic procedures produce insufficient accountability systems. Weak democratic practices inside political parties and throughout the political system become less achievable because of this deficiency.

The Impact of Youth Movements and Grassroots Engagement

Youth movements have transformed political discussions in Nepal during recent years thereby creating significant changes in the national dialogue. Modern activism has targeted parliamentary institutions because members want organizational change combined with administrative openness and improved accessibility. The emergence of youth-driven political movements according to Acharya (2024) has added new life to political systems by using spheres such as governance improvement and social justice and corruption elimination. The new movements have questioned the long-standing political elite class which has governed Nepal since decades.

Regional and Ethnic Representation

Political parties in Nepal encounter a major difficulty because they must reflect the numerous regional and ethnic communities across the country. As Nepal consists of numerous ethnicities speaking different languages among diverse cultural groups political parties develop pressure to incorporate this social diversity into their political ideologies. According to Bhul (2024) political parties have changed their political initiatives because Nepali citizens now increasingly want both ethnic and regional self-governance. The establishment of federalism in Nepal transformed political party operational methods because they must now satisfy the preferences of many overlooked ethnic and regional communities.

The political transformation into federalism since 2015 allowed ethnic-based parties to emerge which exclusively defend the rights of specific cultural communities. According to Adhikari (2024) the appearance of new political parties created a challenge for unified national political leadership since multiple regions began asking for regional governance independence and representation control. The implementation of federalism generates chances for minority groups to boost their political strengths yet it creates the potential for political factions to escalate according to Sapkota et al. (2023). Party fragmentation creates a difficult environment for coalition developments because political parties need to handle various community demands alongside keeping the nation united.

Geopolitical and Global Influences on Nepal’s Political Parties

Nepal’s Geopolitical Position

The strategic territory where Nepal exists between major powers China and India shapes how its political party system develops. The border position of Nepal between India and China forces political parties to perform complicated diplomatic maneuvers. The Indian-Chinese rivalry brought forth substantial changes to how Nepal designs both its national political and international policies according to Kathmandu (2024). This geopolitical rivalry between China and India positions Nepal between their control as both nations try to extend their influence within the country. The Nepalese political parties function in this environment by handling international demands while maintaining national independence.

After decades of close relations India maintains strong political economic and cultural connections with Nepal. The political parties in Nepal heavily depend on India for trade activities along with investment support and safeguarding security matters. Nepal’s foreign policy has grown more oriented toward China as its BRI project advances with extensive infrastructure investments in the country. Nepal’s political parties face an unsafe situation because they need to manage conflicting national and international pressures caused by India-China competition. Bhatta (2022) emphasizes Nepal’s political parties need to create sophisticated foreign policies which protects their ties with India and China while resolving the national difficulties resulting from international action.

Internal political strategies of the country undergo direct effects from the complex relationship dynamics between India and China. The Nepalese political parties join either the Indian or Chinese sphere based on their political philosophy combined with strategic objectives. The political alignment between Nepal and these two countries directly affects both national economic approach and security posture along with infrastructure development strategies. The political stance of Nepalese parties shapes their position regarding Chinese infrastructure investment while parties more linked to India focus their support on border defense coordination and economic cooperation with India.

Foreign Aid and Political Influence

The political shape of Nepal substantially depends on foreign aid since this factor continues to play a vital role. Nepal maintains extensive dependence on financial aid given by international organizations which includes World Bank and Asian Development Bank as well as donor countries. External actors have become vital forces that determine the way Nepalese political parties develop their development policies. Foreign governments together with international organizations exercise considerable power over national development policies and human rights protection as well as governmental reforms according to Brechenmacher & Mann (2024). Political parties depend on foreign aid for executing their major initiatives while these foreign interests maintain substantial control over Nepalese national policy decisions.

The blending of foreign aid with domestic political interests contains various difficulties. International donors impose particular requirements on their financial grants that compel beneficiaries to fulfill democratic standards as well as enforce anti-corruption practices and protect human rights. The purpose of democratization in Nepal supports these condition requirements yet they sometimes cause conflicts between donor organizations and Nepalese political parties. Reviewing external pressures for necessary reforms proved difficult for political parties which support traditional systems since this can reduce their controlling power through political mechanisms. Foreign aid serves political purposes for ruling parties when these parties use foreign funds to build their position in government and grow their political organization according to Rankin & Simpson (2021).

The political complexity of Nepal depends heavily on foreign diplomatic actions alongside the influence of international organizations. Neighboring countries within the international community utilize their influence to back particular political factions or parties which operate inside Nepal. Global diplomacy has led political parties to create alliances or face opposition in their relationships with other parties since these parties clash on fundamental matters like foreign policy and national security together with economic development. International strategic partnerships made by Nepali forces with foreign nations substantially affect both party cohesion and the country’s national political balance.

This political difference which expresses support between China-oriented and India-oriented factions results from direct international factors. Political parties increase their political acceptance through their international partnerships by choosing either the support of India’s regional dominance or collaboration with China’s regional economic expansion. Shape and direction of Nepalese political parties result from both domestic conditions and evolving foreign policies of nearby regional powers.

Challenges and Opportunities for Political Parties in Nepal’s Future Democracy

Challenges Facing Political Parties

The political parties of Nepal encounter multiple obstacles that create substantial barriers for developing an enduring democratic system which includes all groups of society. The political parties of Nepal experience the most significant problem through their factional divisions. The organization splits internally because of three main factors: ideological disputes and personal career goals and distinct interests of different geographical areas. The article by Ghimire et al. (2024) emphasizes how factional disagreement disrupts decision-making processes while causing unstable coalition governments that break up easily. The governmental performance suffers when political parties lose their ability to establish enduring political strategies because of unstable conditions. A primary difficulty stems from weak leadership practices established within Nepalese political parties. Within Nepal there exist numerous political parties that struggle to find able leaders who both bridge their fractured factions and energize their members while leading their party toward unified objectives. Because of insufficient leadership the party becomes susceptible to decision-making control by dominant individual leaders rather than true representation of collective party member values.

Democratic practices which should function internally within Nepalese political parties block the evolution of healthy democratic principles throughout the nation. Party democracy within the organization remains weak or nonexistent thus preventing transparency along with accountability and inclusiveness from taking shape. Ghimire et al. (2024) observed that Nepalese political parties run as hierarchical groups through which decisions emerge from limited top leadership who fail to sufficiently engage base-level members. Ordinary party members lose their power to participate in decision-making because of this problem which weakens democratic governance in parties. Inadequate attention toward marginalized communities including women and ethnic minorities and disadvantaged groups has continued social exclusion and inequality in Nepalese society. Parties in Nepal have yet to develop inclusive policies which correspond to the diverse composition of the nation. The legal recognition of marginalized communities’ rights has failed to yield results through political parties since they have demonstrated ineffective implementation and inadequate support of fair political participation according to Pyakurel (n.d.). Nepal’s stability faces danger because these marginalized communities feel progressively alienated by discriminatory policies of the political parties.

Opportunities for Strengthening Political Parties

Although Nepal faces major political hurdles it maintains various possibilities to enhance political parties so they become vital contributors to democracy moving forward. The primary possibility for improvement rests on developing intra-party democratic structures. Katuwal (2023) advocates for political parties to create more democratic internal frameworks which should include transparent ingredient decision-making that engages all party members actively. The enhancement of intra-party democracy requires party elections on a set schedule in addition to fostering member discussions which should have dedicated platforms for all member voices. Internal democracy enhancement practices will both boost political party functionality and increase public trust in party institutions. Enhanced political institution trust from voters would both result in higher political stability throughout Nepal.

The coupling of technological progress with youth participation represents an essential chance to boost democratic engagement across the nation. Social movement leadership by Nepales young people continues to shape political discourse in the country because its population remains highly active in political issues. Acharya (2024) demonstrates that youth participation in political parties enables a political system reinforcement through introduction of new and energetic perspectives. Political parties should establish connections with younger demographics because such outreach will drive their involvement in policy formulation while triggering them to participate fully in elections. Viewing modern technology brings forth enhanced political party visibility while enabling more efficient communication capabilities and execution coordination measures. Through social media platforms political parties can establish real-time voter connections which helps them distribute policies also allows them to build advocate teams. Political parties that accept these technological solutions will establish better voting access which draws in younger digital-oriented voters.

The present federal restructuring process in Nepal enables political parties to establish their positions within the new federal framework. The evolving political environment because of federalism demands political parties to shift their focus from centralized operations toward regional governance functions. Parties that involve themselves with different ethnic groups and regional communities achieve better outcomes in addressing specific demands which leads to expanded inclusion. Through federalism political parties receive the incentive to create robust base networks that boost their local community connections.

CONCLUSION

Summary of Findings

The research assessed the important contributions of political parties to Nepalese democratic evolution. The development of Nepal into a federal republic through its complex political reforms has depended heavily on the work of political parties. The 1990 People’s Movement along with the 2006 Jana Andolan benefited from political party activism because parties actively pushed for democratic reform and political transformation in Nepal. Political parties which have been vital to democratic change in Nepal encounter ongoing difficulties between party factionalism and weak leadership together with insufficient representation of marginalized communities.

Apart from that the research evaluated the changing dynamics of political parties as they relate to youth activism alongside federalism and minority group inclusion programs. The entry of youth-led movements together with the adoption of federalism allows political parties to adapt their strategies through better engagement of ethnic and regional groups. The growing need for inclusivity compels political parties to assess their operations by adopting democratic methods through participatory systems.

Implications for Nepal’s Democratic Future

Through meaningful internal unity and democratic practice enhancement political parties in Nepal will shape the course of democratic governance into the future. Political parties should develop an inclusive approach while being accountable to fully represent different groups of citizens including disadvantaged minority sectors. Democracy has an uncertain future in Nepal unless young citizens join politics to protect the democratic system. The youth population represents both the upcoming generations of Nepal while simultaneously having major impact on current societal transformations. Political parties that harness youth energy together with their ideals will establish a sturdy and active democratic system.

Political parties can use federal restructuring to redesign their political approaches while building stronger connections toward local community requirements. Taking a decentralized structure allows political parties to build enhanced public connections while promoting increased political involvement.

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

The successful development of Nepal’s democratic system requires multiple strategic policy measures. Political parties should focus on implementing operational reforms which aim tostringValue their institutional framework as well as their choice-making mechanisms. The adoption of democratic methods in political parties would improve their moral standing and create better transparency and accountability procedures. Youth engagement requires political parties to establish mechanisms which enable young people to actively join democratic procedures. Parties can use digital platforms and social media for youth participation and give youth movements space to contribute their political opinions in policy creation.

Institutional reforms which aim to consolidate cohesive governance between political parties should be established by the government. Changes in political systems should target three areas to improve party discipline alongside better federal-local coalition operation as well as interparty coordination. These reforms will establish Nepal’s political parties toward building a more established democratic framework which welcomes broad national participation.

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