Baburam Bhattarai proposes directly elected executive president and fully proportional system

Former Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai said that because political parties have limited themselves to the game of forming and toppling governments, the country has failed to achieve the expected economic prosperity, and as a result dissatisfaction among the people and youth has grown. Addressing the opening rally of Congress's 15th general convention at Khula Manch in Kathmandu on Sunday, he made these remarks.

Bhattarai proposed that parties prepare a long-term shared plan setting out where the country should be in the next 10 to 20 years, and that parties compete in implementing it. Citing Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore and China, which made major leaps in development in a short time, he said Nepal too should plan accordingly.

He urged parties to move toward a directly elected executive president and a fully proportional electoral system. "Either we amend the constitution and move to a directly elected executive presidential system and a fully proportional parliament. Only then could a government that lasts five years be formed," he said. Saying that if any one of the pillars of republicanism, federalism, secularism or inclusive democracy collapses, the entire constitution would be at risk, he stressed that only necessary reforms should be made without tampering with the constitution.

Welcoming the emergence of new leadership in Congress, Bhattarai said he felt happy and expressed the view that his generation should step back from political leadership and give the new generation a chance.