Democracy amid disaster: What kind of state does Nepal need in a crisis?

The Bhotekoshi flood has receded, but the spaces it left behind remain: bridges are gone, homes lie scattered, belongings are buried in mud, and many people still do not know where the next day will begin. For Nepal, the disaster has raised a political question as stark as the physical damage: what should the state look like in a crisis?

The article places that question alongside the first anniversary of the Bhadaure Chatyang, or Gen Z uprising. A year ago, unrest on Nepal’s streets exposed the restlessness of democracy. Today, the flood has exposed the preparedness and capacity of the state.

Large disasters naturally expand the visible power of government. The army, armed forces and police enter affected areas. Helicopters fly, orders are issued, and information moves toward a single centre. Citizens expect rapid decisions and protection. But that concentration of authority also creates democracy’s most sensitive moment, because emergency power can protect citizens or restrict them.

The disaster itself does not weaken democracy, the article argues. The way the government governs in its name can do so. If an emergency becomes a time when questions are discouraged, control of information is presented as security, criticism is treated as obstruction, provincial and local governments are ignored, Parliament is not updated and political parties are sidelined, the crisis can become an opportunity for democratic contraction.

Democracy rarely disappears in one day. Instead, the distance between citizens and the state grows gradually. Government decisions move farther from the public, while citizens become recipients of orders, relief and information rather than active participants. The article says the opposite is also possible: open information, institutional humility, parliamentary involvement, trust in local governments and respect for civil society, political parties and ordinary citizens could make government more accountable. Coordination with the President’s institution is also presented as part of that approach.