One thing I've noticed while following politics is that a healthy democracy always needs a strong opposition. Opposition parties play an important role because they question the government and ask for accountability. If there is no strong opposition, the ruling party can gain too much power, which can sometimes lead to authoritarian or dictatorship-like situations.

Looking at the current political situation in Nepal, many people-including me-would like to see the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) win the election and form the government. Many citizens support them because they hope for change and better governance. However, even if one party wins a majority, it is still important that other parties remain strong in parliament.

For example, if we look at our neighbor India, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Narendra Modi has been in power since 2014. During this time, there have been many developments and achievements, but there have also been criticisms and controversies. Some critics argue that opposition parties there sometimes face pressure or legal challenges. Whether people agree or disagree with those claims, the situation shows how important it is to maintain a balance between the government and the opposition.

Historical Examples of Weak Opposition Impacting Democracy

In Venezuela, during Hugo Chávez's rise to power in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the opposition was fragmented and weak. This allowed the government to consolidate power quickly, weaken independent institutions, and centralize authority, leading to long-term political and economic instability.

In Hungary, over the past decade, the ruling party Fidesz under Viktor Orbán has won repeated majorities while opposition parties remained divided. Critics say this has weakened parliamentary checks, reduced media freedom, and limited accountability.

Similarly, in India at times when opposition parties were weak or divided at the national level, some observers note that it created conditions where government decisions faced limited scrutiny, underscoring the need for strong parliamentary oversight.

These examples show that even if a ruling party achieves majority, democracy suffers if opposition and citizens are not active in questioning and holding power accountable.

In Nepal's parliamentary system, the Federal Parliament has a total of 334 members, but the government is formed based on the 275 seats in the House of Representatives (the lower house). To form a majority government, a party or coalition needs at least 138 seats. Even if one party reaches that number and forms a government, other parties in parliament still play a critical role by questioning policies, debating laws, and representing different voices in society.

My Personal Disclaimer

I would genuinely like to see RSP win majorities seats and form a government because many people believe they can bring positive change. But at the same time, I also believe Nepal needs a strong and independent opposition to keep the government accountable. As citizens, we should support good policies but avoid blindly following any political party. No matter which party is in power, we should always ask what they have done for the country during their time in office.

A strong government is important-but a strong opposition is equally important for a healthy democracy.

Congratulations to RSP and I hope they will achieve a majority to bring positive change to Nepal.

Special shoutout to Nano Banana and ChatGPT for helping with the pictures and revised this post.

Why a Strong Opposition Is Important in Democracy ? (Even If RSP Wins)