Nearly 57 percent Nepalis see an improvement in their personal lives and in the lives of their family members in the past five years. Over 50 percent say government services have improved in this time. These are the findings of the latest Sharecast Initiative Nepal survey carried out among 3,000 respondents across 52 districts between December 1, 2024 and January 11, 2025. Yet while these respondents seem happier in their personal lives and there is some satisfaction with government services, 68 percent also believe the country’s politics is headed in the wrong direction. This, they mostly attribute to corruption and weak political leadership. There have also been marked dips in trust in the prime minister, followed by loss of trust in the President. Moreover, the survey found that the majority believe the state of the economy is worse than it was five years ago, while over 80 percent say the level of corruption is worrying. When we put all these findings together, a few deductions can be made.

One is that people don’t necessarily extrapolate personal wellbeing on to the health of the society they call home, and vice-versa. This is why even though the vast majority report pervasive corruption, most respondents still seem happy with their personal lives. This can also be seen in the disconnect between the satisfaction with one’s personal economic situation with the broad dissatisfaction with the national economy. One reason for these mismatches is the increasing popularity of the platforms that amply negative messages while downplaying positive vibes. Journalists have long known that negative news sells. Social media ‘influencers’ have become new masters at packaging negative content for ‘virality’. Yet our state machinery also constantly gives them material around which they can spin sorry tales. Take corruption again. It’s an open secret that many of the leaders of political parties, bureaucracy, judiciary and the police are corrupt. What makes matters worse is that the government seems to be selective in dispensing anti-corruption justice. While opposition leaders are relentlessly hounded for corruption, those in the ruling coalition with checkered records get a favourable treatment.

It is thus not surprising that people’s trust in the prime minister has seen the biggest fall in the past five years. In a parliamentary system, the prime minister wields all executive authority through the Cabinet. This means that if the executive head is committed to certain reforms, chances are high that they can enact those reforms, sooner or later. Yet if we look at the past decade of Nepali politics, successive prime ministers have failed to give their government a definite direction through bold reforms. These top political leaders have in fact come to be more answerable to various vested interests than to the electorate. The country is headed for a nasty accident if they continue on their current course.

Yet the same survey suggests there is still time to bring the country’s political and economic train engines back on track. People who are satisfied with their personal lives and who sense improving service delivery are unlikely to immediately hit the streets asking for another political revolution. If the prime minister is seen as just a touch fairer and more committed to corruption-control, the negative view of national politics could also change rather quickly. Yet the opposite is also true. If our political class continues with business as usual, people won’t hesitate to explore their alternatives. Our top politicians have been put on notice.