Nepal Election 2082: Who Will Select Ministers in the RSP Government and What Will the Cabinet Look Like?
Image Source, Reuters
Following the conclusion of vote counting under the proportional representation system, many are now focusing on when the new government will be formed.
Leaders of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which has nearly achieved a two-thirds majority combining both direct and proportional representation systems, have stated that a new government will be formed under the leadership of senior leader Balendra Shah (Balen). The party had presented him as a prospective prime minister during the election.
An RSP leader said that with the finalization of proportional representation MPs, discussions around government formation will proceed.
The Election Commission will soon send letters to parties for the selection of proportional representation MPs, Commissioner Sagun Shamsher Jabara said. “We are trying to send the letters as early as today,” he added.
Jabara also informed that a two-day time frame might be given to select proportional MPs and that the final election report is planned to be submitted to the President by Chaitra 5 (mid-March).
When Will the Government Be Formed?
Political parties are expected to allocate seats based on the votes received under the proportional system by Thursday.
Parties clearing the three percent threshold, including the RSP, Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Nepal Communist Party, Labour Culture Party, and Rastriya Prajatantra Party, will receive proportional seats.
Following the dispatch of letters for selecting proportional MPs, discussions on government formation will commence.
“It will take two or three days. Only after determining who the MPs will be can the discussion about government formation begin,” Khanal said.
“Very preliminary and informal talks have taken place. Formal discussions are expected to start within one or two days,” he added.
Image Source, Reuters
Who Will Select the Ministers?
Although the party has declared that senior leader Balen will become prime minister, the RSP has not officially commented on who will select the ministers.
There is growing interest in who will be included in Balen’s cabinet and who will be responsible for their selection.
According to RSP central committee member and former Education Minister Shishir Khanal, the roles of party chairman Ravi Lamichhane and senior leader Shah will be significant in choosing ministers.
“Based on past practice, we usually assigned the responsibility of selecting ministers to the party chairman. This time, both individuals will play important roles,” Khanal stated.
A few days ago, RSP leader and former MP Asim Shah posted on social media that senior leader Balendra Shah himself will select ministers and urged people not to engage in lobbying for ministerial positions.
“There is no need for lobbying, claims, media tests, or publicity to become a minister; nothing is needed. When Balendra Shah becomes prime minister, he will appoint his cabinet by selecting members himself. He knows well the capabilities and qualifications of all MPs,” he wrote on Facebook.
Experts or MPs as Ministers?
A debate has started over whether ministers should be appointed from non-MP experts or sitting MPs.
The RSP envisions the possibility of appointing experts from outside parliament as ministers in the prime minister’s cabinet.
However, according to the current constitutional system, non-parliamentary experts can only be appointed as ministers for six months.
“After six months, to extend their tenure, they have to be made MPs. We have limited options to make them MPs within six months,” Khanal said.
“The election recently concluded. Currently, only one seat is vacant in the National Assembly. Therefore, without constitutional amendment, I see minimal implementation of this provision.”
Image Source, RSP/Facebook
The party plans to form a smaller cabinet as promised earlier.
“Our manifesto mentions 18 ministers. The first cabinet will likely be limited to 15 members,” Khanal said.
“We aim for a smaller-sized cabinet that clearly conveys messages of good governance, transparency, and fiscal responsibility,” he added.
Based on past experience, Khanal added that the RSP may establish a committee within the party to advise the government as needed.
“During our second time in government, we had formed a coordination committee between the party and government under my leadership. There is a possibility of forming such a committee again, but no formal decision has been made,” he said.
What About the Provinces?
After the RSP won just under a two-thirds majority, discussions have begun about the future of the provincial structure.
However, Khanal stated that significant changes to provincial structures are unlikely without constitutional amendments.
“Our manifesto states that the RSP plans to form a committee to prepare a discussion paper on constitutional amendments and hold dialogues,” he explained.
“Since major work like constitutional amendments requires national consensus, our first phase aims to prepare a constitutional amendment paper.”
In Nepal, some argue that provincial structures are unnecessary, while others advocate improving and strengthening them.
According to the constitution, constitutional amendments require at least a two-thirds majority in both houses of the federal parliament.
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