Agreement or Appeasement?

Prime Minister Sushila Karki’s agreement with representatives of Gen-Z on Wednesday has cast doubt on the fragile trust that had been developing between the political parties and the government. Any agreement made by the government must rest on a clear foundation; without it, implementation becomes difficult. This does not mean the government cannot sign agreements, but since it was formed with the consensus of major parties—and with a limited mandate—it carries the responsibility of fostering trust. The current government emerged from the vacuum created after the Gen-Z protests of 8 September and the subsequent attack on the Parliament building that evening, the deaths of civilians during the security response, and the destruction, vandalism and arson on 9 September. It has been mandated to conduct elections on 5 March 2026, to take action against corruption and to investigate the events of 8 and 9 September. The constitutional body responsible for corruption cases—the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA)—is the proper mechanism for such work, as Prime Minister Karki herself has stated. Against this backdrop, serious political questions have arisen after Karki signed a ten-point agreement with the Gen-Z group three months after the formation of her government. Former Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli has criticised the move as an “artless drama”, while other political parties also appear unenthusiastic.