No party is free of blame for weakening federalism

A proposal by Nepal's Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) to abolish provincial assemblies has ignited a political firestorm, with established parties accusing the ruling coalition of undermining federalism. This controversy has led to significant opposition, including the withdrawal of major parties like the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML from a government-formed panel tasked with discussing constitutional amendments.

The RSP's suggestion to make the National Assembly and local units partyless, alongside scrapping provincial assemblies, has been met with apprehension by 'legacy parties.' They view this as an attempt to weaken the federal structure under the guise of constitutional reform. However, the article contends that these parties, despite their vocal concerns, lack the moral authority to criticize the RSP, as their own past actions have significantly weakened federalism.

Recent political maneuvering, such as the resignation of Congress ministers from a UML-led government in Karnali and the dismissal of UML ministers from a Congress-led cabinet in Sudurpaschim, exemplifies the ongoing power struggles that subvert the federal structure. These incidents highlight how coalition politics and disputes over leadership continue to destabilize provincial governments.

Since the promulgation of the Constitution in 2015, which institutionalized federalism, the major parties have been criticized for failing to enact essential laws and establish necessary institutions for provinces to function effectively. The frequent changes in provincial governments, with some provinces seeing up to eight changes in leadership since 2017, underscore the instability and the parties' inability to strengthen the federal system despite holding comfortable majorities in Parliament.