The Prime Minister’s Place Is in Parliament

In a parliamentary system, the government may be formed by a majority, but Parliament belongs to the people, not the government. A majority can bring a government to power, but it cannot free it from accountability to Parliament. In fact, a strong majority carries an even greater responsibility to remain answerable. The House of Representatives election was held on March 5 on the strength of the Gen Z uprising, with voters giving the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) a near two-thirds majority. RSP senior leader Balendra Shah became prime minister, while another party leader, DP Aryal, took charge as speaker. Prime Minister Shah had long portrayed himself as different from conventional party politicians. Critics, including some within his own party, had warned that the multiparty and parliamentary systems could prove burdensome for him. Events since his assumption of the office as the prime minister appear to have reinforced those concerns. As prime minister, Shah has struggled to demonstrate accountability not only to Parliament, the country’s highest representative institution, but also to his own party and parliamentary party. When the president delivered the government’s policy and programs in Parliament on May 29, Shah left the parliament abruptly and has since rarely attended its meetings. His presence at party and parliamentary party meetings has been even more limited, raising questions about his commitment to the pluralistic parliamentary system.