Directly elected executive system not suitable for Nepal: Former President Bhandari

KATHMANDU: Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari has said a directly elected executive system is not suitable for Nepal, arguing that the country’s social structure and diversity do not support such a model of governance.

Addressing a programme titled ‘Nepal’s Communist Movement and People’s Leader Madan Bhandari’ organized in Kathmandu on Sunday to mark the 75th birth anniversary of late leader Madan Bhandari, she said Nepal’s existing system of governance should not be altered.

Bhandari said constitutional amendments could be considered based on practical needs and implementation experience but maintained that a directly elected executive model would not be relevant in a country as multiethnic, multilingual and multicultural as Nepal.

She stressed that in a democracy, securing a public mandate through periodic elections alone is not sufficient and that adherence to constitutional values, the rule of law and public accountability must continue even after winning public support.

Referring to the current state of Nepal’s communist movement, Bhandari said communist parties should view the recent House of Representatives election results as an opportunity for serious introspection and self-evaluation.

However, she cautioned against drawing premature conclusions about the relevance of People’s Multiparty Democracy (PMD) or the future of the communist movement based solely on one election outcome.

Recalling Madan Bhandari’s political thinking, she said a lack of creativity had long been a core challenge within the communist movement and argued that the observation remains relevant today.

Bhandari said declining public trust must be acknowledged seriously, attributing it to the inability to introduce necessary innovation in policy, organization and working style in line with changing public aspirations and national priorities.

She further said that remembering past achievements alone would no longer be enough and emphasized the need for ideological capacity and political creativity capable of responding to contemporary challenges.

Highlighting the expectations of younger generations and the demands of the digital era, she called for new approaches to education, employment, healthcare, good governance and a production-oriented economy, stressing effective implementation to move the country toward prosperity.