Accomplishments and Media Coverage of Nepal's First Elected Government

This article examines the work and impact of Nepal's first elected government following the 2007 revolution, which ended 104 years of family Rana rule and established democracy in the country. The revolution set the stage for a transition to a political system based on multi-party democracy and constitutional monarchy. Initially, King Tribhuvan promised to advance the country through a constitution created by representatives elected to a Constituent Assembly within two years. However, both King Tribhuvan and his successor, King Mahendra, avoided holding the Constituent Assembly elections out of fear that an elected body might challenge the monarchy. The kings repeatedly postponed the elections while maneuvering to preserve their power. Eventually, political pressure led to the acceptance of parliamentary elections in 2015, with even the republican communist party being coerced into recognizing the monarchy. King Mahendra, however, only agreed to the elections after ensuring no single party could dominate the state machinery. Contrary to the king's expectations, the Nepali Congress achieved a two-thirds majority in the 2015 general election. Once in power, the elected government began efforts to promote public welfare. In response, the king intervened by using military force to dissolve the parliament and suspend the government for 18 months, preventing them from functioning effectively for five years. During this period, political parties were banned, and newspapers critical of the royal actions were censored. This article highlights the significant achievements and challenges faced by Nepal's first elected government, as well as the broader implications of the royal intervention on the country’s democratic processes.