Two protests, two elections: How Nepal’s Gen Z succeeded where Bangladesh’s stumbled

Two protests, two elections: How Nepal’s Gen Z succeeded where Bangladesh’s stumbled

Less than a month after Nepal’s new prime minister Balendra Shah assumed office, alongside a parliament with a significant number of young lawmakers, Umama Fatema, a Bangladeshi activist, observed the results with mixed emotions. In 2024, she had joined thousands of Gen Z protesters in Bangladesh who had driven their government from power through passionate demonstrations. Yet, nearly two years later, the fruits of that movement had not translated into meaningful political influence. In Bangladesh’s first election following the protests, the established Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) claimed a dominant majority, while the youth-driven National Citizens’ Party (NCP) struggled to make an impact.

Nepal, in contrast, experienced a different outcome. Just a month after the protests, the country held its historic election, where the four-year-old Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) swept through the polls. This marked a turning point, with young leaders securing parliamentary seats and former rapper Shah emerging as a key figure. The success of Nepal’s youth movement stands out in Asia, where many similar protests have occurred but few have resulted in such tangible power shifts.

“Personally, I felt disheartened. When I saw how effectively [the Nepalese youth] were able to organise themselves, I could not help but feel disappointed about the situation in our own country,” said Fatema. “Bangladesh has not been able to deliver such a change… it is naturally disheartening to realise that we have not been able to organise and rebuild our country in the same way.”

Nepalese youth leaders credit their success to a movement that resonated deeply with the public. KP Khanal, a candidate for the RSP, noted that the protests “tapped into a deep, long-standing frustration with the way things have been run.” He added that the public’s memory of the youth’s sacrifices and voices remained strong, ensuring their message stayed relevant. Consistency in demanding accountability and justice, he explained, transformed the movement from a fleeting reaction into a credible force that the people rallied behind.

Analysts highlight Nepal’s political landscape as a key factor. The country’s electoral system, designed to support coalition governments, has historically prevented any single party from achieving a majority. Over 17 years, Nepal shifted through 14 administrations, with established parties and politicians alternating power, often criticized as political wheeling and dealing. This environment made the RSP, a relative newcomer, an appealing alternative. Nitasha Kaul, director of the Centre for the Study of Democracy at the University of Westminster, observed that the discrediting of the three major parties allowed the youth-led RSP to gain traction.

“In Nepal’s case, since all three established parties, none dominant, were discredited, the main beneficiary has been the youthful RSP and its leader,” noted Kaul.

Amish Mulmi, a Nepalese political analyst, emphasized the importance of party organization in South Asia. He argued that a youth-led party would need to build a robust structure before achieving widespread electoral success, especially in its debut. This was precisely the thought behind Purushottam Suprabhat Yadav’s decision to decline joining the RSP. When asked by friends to help form a new party, Yadav hesitated, stating, “Winning an election is not a joke. Organising a movement and emerging victorious in an election are two different things.”