Old Leaders, New Problems

In a democracy, political parties play a central role. The foundation of good governance lies in their policies and the leadership they cultivate. The direction a country takes—toward progress or stagnation—depends largely on the decisions and choices made by political parties. Among leftist groups, the notion that those who set the policies should also lead is often emphasized. Meanwhile, democratic parties with liberal values are generally viewed as better positioned to deliver quality leadership. In Nepal, although parties often label themselves as either democratic or leftist, their behavior has increasingly converged. In recent years, the ideological differences among them have become nearly indistinguishable. Currently, the ruling CPN-UML is engaged in discussions ahead of its upcoming Statute Convention scheduled for August 4 to 6. The Politburo meeting has begun debating proposals approved by the party’s Secretariat. When it comes to deliberating through formal committee systems, the UML has demonstrated a strong culture of institutional process. Among the key proposals under discussion are setting a 70-year age limit for leadership positions and restricting officeholders to two terms. While the Secretariat and Politburo have already endorsed the proposal to remove the 70-year age and two-term caps in the party’s top positions, the party’s Central Committee is currently deliberating on the issue.