Nepal elections

A vote that could mean peace - and the end of a 240-year-old dynasty

Article published on the 2008-04-10 Latest update 2009-05-03 13:34 TU

Nepal's King Gyanendra on his 61st birthday this year
(Photo : Reuters)

The fate of Nepal's 240-year-old Shah dynasty, the world's last Hindu monarchy, will be decided by the Constituent Assembly elected on 10 April. The major political parties are likely to join Maoists who have fought a ten-year civil war in voting to become a republic. Parties who have clashed with King Gyanendra are expected to form the next government, with the former guerrillas expected to win a number of seats. And there are hopes that the vote will consolidate the peace established by a deal between the former guerrillas and the government in 2006.

The monarchy has seen its credibility plummet since 2001, when a drunk and drugged crown prince massacred King Birendra and most of his family at the royal palace. King Gyanendra, who took the throne the same year, later sacked the government and assumed absolute power.

Gyanendra failed in his declared objective of smashing the Maoist rebels and managed to drive the country's largest political parties into an anti-monarchy coalition with them.

The interim parliament, established after the 2006 peace deal, reduced the king to a constitutional monarch.

Now the largest parties, the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), seem ready to scrap the monarchy altogether.

But more than 4,000 royalist troops have refused to leave the King's palace, raising fears of a violent confrontation if abolition goes ahead.

The new parliament plans to rewrite the constitution. Nepali political journalist CK Lal tells RFI that the parties have different proposals.

"Nepali Congress believes in parliamentary system with prime minister as the executive. Maoists have been advocating something along the lines of the French, constitution with a president as head of state as well as government."

The Maoists say that they want a democratic and capitalist Nepal to replace what they regard as today's feudal set-up.

Maoist youth groups are accused of beating people up and extorting money, while police reportedly killed several Maoists recently.

In the south of the country, Indo-origin Madhesi people have been agitating for more political influence.

The country has a complex caste system and widespread poverty. Per capita income is about 180 euros a year. Two-thirds of top state positions are held by members of the Brahman-Chettri caste, who make up 30% of the population.

Quotas in the new parliament have been set aside for women, low-caste dalits and "oppressed and indigenous peoples".