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
Last month, Nepal marked a pivotal moment with the installation of its new prime minister, Balendra Shah, alongside a parliament featuring a significant number of young lawmakers. Meanwhile, Umama Fatema, a Bangladeshi activist, felt a wave of disappointment as she observed the outcomes from a distance. Fatema was part of the Gen Z-led demonstrations in Bangladesh that ousted the government in 2024. Though the protests in both nations achieved similar results, the trajectory of political power has diverged sharply. In Nepal, the movement has translated into tangible influence, while Bangladesh’s youth-led efforts remain stalled.
Nepal’s recent election saw the four-year-old Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) secure a sweeping victory, propelling scores of Gen Z politicians into legislative roles. This success was instrumental in Balendra Shah’s rise to leadership, following his alliance with the RSP. In contrast, Bangladesh’s first post-protest elections in February 2024 were dominated by the established Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which retained a historic majority. The new National Citizens’ Party (NCP), born from the student-led uprising, struggled to make an impact, highlighting the uneven outcomes between the two countries.
“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.”
Resonance and Consistency: Keys to Nepal’s Triumph
Nepalese youth leaders credit their movement’s success to its deep connection with the public. KP Khanal, a RSP candidate who won a seat in Kailali district, noted that the protests “tapped into a deep, long-standing frustration with the way things have been run.” He emphasized that the persistent demands for accountability and justice helped transform the movement into a credible force. This sustained engagement, he said, ensured the public remembered the youth’s contributions.
The electoral system in Nepal, designed to encourage coalition governments, played a role in the RSP’s rise. For years, no single party held a majority, as power rotated among established factions. This instability made the RSP—a fresh face in politics—more appealing to voters frustrated with the status quo. Nitasha Kaul, a democracy scholar at the University of Westminster, observed that the lack of dominance by any one party allowed the RSP to emerge as the main beneficiary of public discontent.
Structural Challenges in Bangladesh
Analysts highlight the importance of party organization in South Asia, a factor that may have hindered Bangladesh’s youth movement. Amish Mulmi, a Nepalese political analyst, argued that a youth-led party would need to build a robust structure before achieving electoral success, especially in its first attempt. This challenge was evident in the NCP’s performance, which failed to translate protest energy into political clout. Purushottam Suprabhat Yadav, a youth activist, acknowledged this when he declined to join a new party formation, stating, “Winning an election is not a joke. Organising a movement and emerging victorious in an election are two different things.”
The contrast between the two nations underscores how political systems and strategic alliances shape outcomes. While Nepal’s RSP leveraged its coalition-friendly framework and a charismatic leader to gain traction, Bangladesh’s NCP struggled to overcome entrenched party dynamics. The success of the Nepalese youth movement serves as a rare example of generational activism leading to real political power in Asia, offering lessons for other regions grappling with similar social unrest.
