Gen Z angst led to the removal of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli but it was not directed only at him or his Communist Party of Nepal-UML. Rather it lashed out against the entire political apparatus represented by the big party players, including the Nepali Congress and the Maoist Centre.
Mr Shah’s RSP fit the bill. Gone are the old political elite – and to add insult to injury, Mr Shah defeated Mr Oli in his own constituency.
A DIFFERENT MANDATE
But a big electoral victory brings bigger expectations,
From the creation of a constitutional monarchy in the 1990s to the establishment of a democracy in 2008, it has always been the people driving Nepal’s political transformations.
The Gen Z movement marks a different kind of transition. The protesters’ demands were not for a new political system but for the existing system to work better for them. They expect the new prime minister to address governance issues, nepotism, inclusiveness, financial transparency, employment and educational opportunities at home.
Mr Shah faces this immense task, especially as he has positioned himself as a populist. His past role as mayor of capital city Kathmandu built his reputation as an efficient administrator and as someone who challenged the old guard. He ran as an independent candidate in the 2022 mayoral election.
A numerical advantage in parliament may help Mr Shah push through meaningful reforms, but numbers alone won’t determine success. The government’s most demanding constituency will be the Gen Z voters that drove the RSP’s rise. They are likely to push for action and be impatient for results.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/nepal-prime-minister-balendra-shah-rapper-mayor-change-5996031
