Temptation of a directly-elected ‘hero’

Political frustration should not tempt us into constitutional romanticism, as no institutional model is ever a panacea.

Every generation in Nepal is tempted to believe that its constitutional frustrations can be solved by finding the right leader, and thus, rediscovers, once every few years, an old constitutional debate over whether to retain a parliamentary system or directly elect its chief executive. The topic of constitutional amendment is once again dominating political discussions, and proposals for a directly elected executive have predictably returned to the forefront, with advocates long arguing that direct election would deliver political stability by freeing the executive from unstable coalition politics.