The Impact of Political Distrust on Nepal’s Democracy
Nepal is growing wary of its politicians, and this is particularly noticeable among the young. The different reasons for this distrust could be the limited (and sometimes missing) internal democracy within political parties, corruption of political leaders, legal barriers to educated people playing an active role in politics, nepotism, scarce opportunity, and, above all, money. The importance of the research lies in its investigation into these forces and their destructive implications, which comprise diminished political representation, rising civil conflicts, deteriorating quality of governance, as well as disrupting democratic shape-up. The study utilizes a mixed-methods research design that combines quantitative and qualitative data to maximize the strengths of both methods. The results suggest reforms are needed right away. The study also emphasizes the importance of building institutional integrity and party democracy, based on the principle of fighting corruption; meritocratic recruitment, not clients or pickets; and eliminating money politics. Additionally, it encourages the need for generating more economic opportunities and forms of self-improvement for the youth to restore their faith in politics.
Keywords: Corruption, Internal Democracy, Nepal, Nepotism, Political Distrust, Political Participation, Youth
