The recent earthquakes in Nepal have not only caused massive damage to the country’s agriculture, economy and infrastructure. They may also have shaken up national politics.
The main parties, who’ve been unable to agree on a new constitution for the last eight years, have pledged to work together to accelerate its passing.
Some have floated the idea of a broad church coalition government. On 9 May, Madhav Nepal, former prime minister and a senior leader within the Communist UML party, said: ‘We should form a national unity government to complete the constitution drafting process, to hold local polls and to speed up reconstruction and rehabilitation works.’ UML governs in coalition with the Nepali Congress party.
An emergency government of national unity could be a face-saving way for the opposition Maoists to give up their failed attempt to force constitutional concessions, and to isolate militants within the party.
Topics: Nepal