As Nepal is deciding on a new system of governance and is going through a critical phase of the constitution writing processes, the way France achieved a strong local governance system with significant devolution of powers, elected local executives with real powers and responsibilities and regional governance, although in a different context, may be of interest to Nepal. France has recently announced a local government reform to simplify and reduce the territorial architecture and stop the stacking of structures, and the entanglement of skills and competition between institutions that leads to overlapping between the responsibilities and jurisdiction of its many territorial entities...( Jean-Charles Demarquis )
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France today reiterated support for Nepal’s efforts to achieve peace, stability and prosperity. Delivering a message on the eve of French national day, July 14, French ambassador Jean-Charles Demarquis said, “At this crucial period of the democratic evolution of Nepal, France is more than ever at its side.”...( THT )
It is well understood that the power equation in world affairs is no longer remain the same, as it used to be during the cold war era. Due to this very fact that many ‘power’ countries have been losing their influence over countries, once regarded and understood to be under their domain; which in no longer remain a guarded secret. It was a big hope, not only for the French People but for most of the countries of former non aligned bloc that President Nicholas Sarkozy will provide a dynamic leadership to France and will bring a sort of balance to unipolarity-driven world affairs. But due to the changing power dynamics in the world as well as internal challenges, France is still trailing to maintain its position as a power center of the world...( Keshav Raj Jha )
It would be a premature conclusion to say that the Himalayan Republic will finally adopt ‘French Model’, not the amour of President Niocolas Sarkozy, Carla Bruni- the Super Model but, it is the model for power sharing between President and Prime Minister in the elusive constitution...( Telegraph Nepal )
(March 03 08 at 20:45) Sixteen more political parties including Tarai-Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP), Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) and Sadbhavana Party (SP) on Sunday submitted the closed-list of their candidates at the Election Commission (EC) for Constituent Assembly (CA) election under the proportional representation (PR) electoral system...( The Kathmandu Post )
(March 03 08 at 20:50) Madhesi parties in Banke are busy in the homework of selecting candidates for constituent assembly (CA) polls following the agreement reached between the government and the United Madhesi Democratic Front (UMDF). Terai-Madhes Loktantrik Party (TMLP)...( Southasian Media )
(March 03 08 at 21:05 ) Maoist Chairman Prachanda Monday said that the Constituent Assembly (CA) poll was the final hurdle and it would eliminate all the remaining emblems of a totalitarian regime. Terming the CA polls as a “gigantic–battle”, Prachanda claimed that the key elections will lay the foundation stone for a new Nepal...( Kantipur )
(Feb 07 08 at 22:15) A meeting of the United Revolutionary People’s Council headed by Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai yesterday decided to reactivate the council to help carry out development works and resolve problems faced by the people at the local-level. Maoist chairman Prachanda was also present in the meeting...( Southasian Media )
(Feb 01 08 at 22:10) A top meeting of the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) will resolve the issue of appointments at the local bodies after serious conflict erupted among the SPA taskforce Friday. According to Local Development Minister Dev Gurung, the issue has been sent to the top SPA leaders...( Kantipur )
(Jan 30 08 at 21:30) A bomb exploded near a government-sponsored political rally in southern Nepal on Wednesday wounding at least 35 people, police said. The blast in the town of Birgunj in the southern plains of the Himalayan nation, where thousands had gathered for the rally, followed two earlier explosions in the area including one on Tuesday night...( Reuters )