From Monarchy to the Republic: European Union Democracy Promotion in Nepal Robot Limbu Dissertation submitted as a partial requirement for the conferral of the degree of Master in international Studies Supervisor: Doctor Luís Nuno Rodrigues, Full Professor ISCTE-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa Co-Supervisor: Doctor Diogo Bernardo de Penha Lemos, Guest Assistant ISCTE-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa October, 2020 Resumo O estudo avaliou o papel desempenhado pela União Europeia na facilitação da rápida transição do Nepal de uma monarquia para uma república democrática onde o povo exercia o controle sobre a liderança e governança do país por meio de seus representantes eleitos. O Nepal vinha tentando mudar do poder absoluto centralizado de um reino para o poder distributivo descentralizado do povo por meio de uma democracia por algum tempo, mas falhou na maioria das tentativas, pois a liderança do reino não permitiria a integração de ideologias democráticas na governança do país. O estudo utilizou análises secundárias qualitativas, com um enfoque particular em estudos de caso, para identificar e estabelecer a importância do envolvimento da UE na facilitação da democratização do Nepal. Os resultados obtidos neste estudo indicaram que a União Europeia esteve ativamente envolvida no processo de democratização do Nepal, através do qual prestou assistência humanitária e financeira, além de interferir como membro da comunidade internacional na denúncia das injustiças do governo, especialmente as injustiças de direitos humanos. Os resultados estabeleceram que a UE começou formalmente a apoiar o processo de democratização do país no ano de 2006, durante o II Movimento Popular, que resultou em uma mudança de regime bem-sucedida no Nepal, e uma transição no estilo de governança, com preferência por uma democracia sobre uma monarquia, pois esta era a melhor solução política para proteger os direitos humanos no Nepal, ao mesmo tempo em que promove o crescimento e o desenvolvimento econômico. Palavras-chave: União Europeia (UE), Democratização, Democratização, Monarquia, República i Abstract The study evaluated the role played by the European Union in facilitating the swift transition of Nepal from a monarchy to a democratic republic where the people exercised control over the leadership and governance of the country through their elected representatives. Nepal had been trying to shift from centralized absolute power of a kingdom to the decentralized distributive power of the people through a democracy for quite some time, but failed in most attempts, as the leadership of the kingdom would not allow for the integration of democratic ideologies in the governance of the country. The study used qualitative secondary reviews, with a particular focus on case studies, to identify and establish the significance of the EU’s involvement in facilitating the democratization of Nepal. The results obtained from this study indicated that the European Union was actively involved in the process of democratization of Nepal, whereby it provided humanitarian assistance, and financial aid, in addition to interfering as a member of the international community in calling out the injustices of the government, especially human rights injustices. The results established that the EU formally began supporting the democratization process in the country in the year 2006, during the II People’s Movement, which resulted in a successful regime change in Nepal, and a transition in the style of governance, with preference for a democracy over a monarchy, as this was the best political solution of protecting human rights in Nepal, while promoting economic growth and development. Keywords: European Union (EU), Democracy, Democratization, Monarchy, Republic ii Table of Contents Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………….... ii Table of contents………………………………………………………………………………iii Glossary of Acronyms ………………………………………………………………………...v Chapter One: Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Background of the Research Study ................................................................................. 5 1.2. Problem Statement ........................................................................................................... 6 1.3. Research Aim, Objectives, and Questions....................................................................... 6 1.3.1. Research Aim ............................................................................................................ 6 1.3.2. Research Objectives .................................................................................................. 7 1.3.3. Research Questions ................................................................................................... 7 1.4. Rationale of the Study ..................................................................................................... 7 1.5. Proposed Methodological Approach ............................................................................... 7 1.6. Outline of the Study ......................................................................................................... 8 Chapter Two: Literature Review............................................................................................ 9 2.1. Forms of Governance ...................................................................................................... 9 2.2. Democracy in Nepal ...................................................................................................... 10 2.2.1. Overview of the Democracy Journey in Nepal ....................................................... 10 2.2.2. Hereditary Kingship in Nepal and its Abolishment ................................................ 11 2.2.3. Why the Maoist Insurgence Started ........................................................................ 13 2.2.4. The 12 Points Peace Agreement ............................................................................. 14 2.2.5. Role of Parties in Democratization of Nepal .......................................................... 14 2.2.6. Transition to Democracy in Nepal .......................................................................... 14 2.3. The European Union’s Support for Nepal’s Democracy............................................... 16 2.3.1. Economic Help........................................................................................................ 17 2.3.2. Diplomatic Pressure ................................................................................................ 18 2.3.3. Solidarity on Ethnic and Regional Re-structure of Nepal ...................................... 18 2.3.4. Solidarity on Revolutionary Party .......................................................................... 18 2.4. Evolutionary Governance Theory (EGT) ...................................................................... 19 2.5. Conceptual Framework.................................................................................................. 19 2.6. Research Gap ................................................................................................................. 20 Chapter Three: Research Methodology ............................................................................... 21 iii 3.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 21 3.2. Research Philosophy...................................................................................................... 21 3.3. Research Design ............................................................................................................ 21 3.4. Research Approach ........................................................................................................ 22 3.5. Data Collection .............................................................................................................. 22 3.6. Search Strategy .............................................................................................................. 23 3.6. Data Analysis ................................................................................................................. 24 3.7. Reliability and Validity of the Research Study ............................................................. 25 3.8. Ethical Considerations ................................................................................................... 25 3.9. Limitations of the Study ................................................................................................ 25 Chapter Four: Results and Discussions ............................................................................... 26 4.1. Thematic Analysis of Results ........................................................................................ 26 4.1.1. Theme 1: Nepal’s Process of Democratization ....................................................... 26 4.1.2. Theme 2: EU’s Involvement in Nepal’s Process of Democratization .................... 28 4.1.3. Theme 3: International interests in Nepal’s Process of Democratization ............... 32 4.1.4. Theme 4: Benefits and challenges of democracy in Nepal to locals and the international community ................................................................................................... 35 4.2. Discussions .................................................................................................................... 36 Chapter Five: