The 2022 local elections in Nepal have been shaped by the formation of major political alliances, such as the “gathbandhan” alliance between Nepali Congress, CPN-Maoist Center, and others. These alliances have divided up constituencies amongst the allied parties, reducing the diversity of candidates that voters can choose from. 

This alliance-building has had a particularly negative impact on the representation of women and marginalized groups in local government. Despite legal requirements, data shows that only 7% of registered mayoral/chairperson candidates are women, and just 3% at the ward level. Political parties appear to have disproportionately favored men for top leadership roles, relegating women to deputy positions.

An analysis by PEI found that over 80% of top municipal candidates were selected from outside local party committees, suggesting the influence of senior party leaders rather than local representation. This informal, patron-client dynamic in candidate selection risks further undermining the political representation of marginalized groups who may lack connections to high-level party figures.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission’s prescribed code of conduct has proven ineffective, with widespread reports of electoral misconduct and violence. The focus on alliances over individual candidates has also increased voter confusion and the risk of invalid votes.

Overall, the dynamics of alliance-building and informal candidate selection in these local elections raise concerns about the quality of Nepal’s democratic representation, particularly for women and marginalized communities.

Not everyone is happy with the political alliances formed for the elections. This is especially true at the local level, where party leaders have made their own alliances that sometimes go against the central-level arrangements. Since these alliances are driven primarily by electoral math, the policy agendas of the parties and candidates may not always align. This makes it difficult for some voters to support parties or candidates they have historically opposed.

Some dissatisfied local leaders have filed as independent candidates, putting pressure on senior party leaders to convince them to withdraw. While some have yielded, others have refused. For example, in Chitwan district, a NC leader filed to run against his party’s endorsed candidate, the incumbent CPN-MC mayor. In Arghakhachhi, the CPN-UML forced an incumbent mayor who had filed as an independent to withdraw.

PEI’s media monitoring has recorded over two dozen incidents of election-related violence in recent weeks. This includes clashes between the cadres of allied parties, as well as intra-party conflicts. In one incident in Kushe Rural Municipality, CPN-MC/US and NC cadres clashed, requiring police to fire warning shots. There have also been reports of attacks on candidates, such as in Bhimdutta Municipality and Hupsekot Rural Municipality.

The violence extends to intra-party conflicts as well, with disgruntled leaders and cadres vandalizing party offices and assaulting fellow members. For example, in Pokhara, NC cadres protested their party’s decision to support a CPN-US mayoral candidate by disrupting campaign events.

The Election Commission has published guidelines on campaign spending, use of vehicles/materials, and other regulations. However, political parties and candidates are openly flouting these rules. The evidence of violations is “ubiquitous,” from excessive campaign spending to the mobilization of children.

The Election Commission has issued repeated requests for parties to comply, and has threatened penalties. But these efforts have had little impact, with the violations continuing unabated.