Nepal's democracy fatigue

Nepalis are growing discontent as the possibility of any substantial change seems unlikely.

Nepal is witnessing a new wave of protests for the restoration of monarchy, which was abolished almost two decades ago. On March 9, thousands of supporters welcomed former King Gyanendra upon his return to Kathmandu from Pokhara. The capital saw two protests on March 28, one led by pro-monarchists and another by left parties supporting democracy. Violence erupted in the pro-monarchy protest, leading to the deaths of two people. The government even deployed the army to restore order; a curfew was declared in some parts of Kathmandu. This is not an isolated event, as several pro-monarchy protests have occurred in the past. However, this wave has been unprecedented due to several factors, including the country’s economic crisis, political instability and the interest of the ousted monarch in returning to politics.