An uncommon test of political readiness

March elections offer a chance to address Nepal’s long-standing issues, but only if parties focus on action over rhetoric.

Nepal is undergoing variegated yet interconnected crises, where conjoined challenges stemming from perpetual political instability, stunted and uneven economic growth, weakened social capital and ever-escalating climate impacts in recent years are amplifying one another in ways that exceed the sum of their individual impacts. Yet, the political will and leadership needed to tackle these issues remain largely ineffective. Lately, this void has drawn many into politics, clamouring for the seemingly ever-elusive idea of ‘good governance’.