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Santhiya M
9 June 2025 |
On 29 May 2025, there was a parade by a section celebrating the republic, and also a protest march calling for the return of the monarchy.
Nepal celebrated “Republic Mahostav” to commemorate the 18th Republic Day to mark the country’s transition from a monarchy to a republic in 2008. 29 May is important as the announcement of the federal democratic republic in Nepal came on the same day in 2008. A cultural parade was organised to celebrate the day, while the supporters of the republic joined the “Republic Mahostav” and celebrated the Republic Day.
On the same day, the pro-monarchists launched a demonstration for the restoration of the monarchy. This follows the violent protest that happened earlier in March 2025.
Who are the pro-monarchists? And what happened during their protests?
The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) led the pro-monarchy protest with tens of thousands of protestors who demanded for restoring monarchy in Nepal. RPP is the fifth largest party and has 13 seats in the parliament. The party collaborated with more than 40 organisations and groups to proceed with the protest for the reinstatement of the monarchy. This includes people who staunchly believe that the restoration of the monarchy and the king, who was dethroned 17 years ago, would bring progress and development to the country.
The RPP leaders, including RPP chair Rajendra Lingden and other senior party leaders, namely Pashupati Shumsher Rana, Kamal Thapa and Prakash Chandra Lohani, took part in the protests. The party also demanded to discard the three-provincial structure of Nepal. The Unified Joint People’s Movement Committee was formed by the pro-monarchy groups that were involved in the previous protest held in March 2025. They had an active role in the protest with demands of reinstating the 1991 constitution or to bring a constitutional monarchy, to constitute Nepal as a Hindu state.
The pro-monarchy demonstration happened in the Ratnapark area of Kathmandu. The place was deployed heavily with police to prevent any violence or vandalism so as not to repeat what happened in March 2025, but the protests remained largely peaceful. There were marches with people beating drums, blowing horns, holding up Nepal’s flag and chanting slogans to reinforce the monarchy. They carried banners that contained a picture of former king Gyanendra with chants that said “Our king is dearer than lives…king come back and save the country.”
The protestors also expressed concerns over slow economic development, unemployment, lack of improvement in living standards and political instability in 17 years of republican rule. The protestors also expressed that they would continue their quest for monarchy until they succeed.
Who are the pro-republicans? What happened during the Republic Mahotsav?
The pro-republican parade was organised by the CPN-UML party, which is also the ruling party of Nepal. The party decided to commemorate the Republic Day like a festival with a cultural parade. This demonstration contained people of various groups who donned ethnic attire and witnessed the parade of tableaux that depicted the culture. Nepal’s Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli said that the Republic Day celebrations show the will of the people, and the monarchical uprising will not undermine the zeal of the people.
The UML organised cultural and ethnic rallies that started from Bhrikutimandap in Kathmandu. The authorities have allotted different areas and different timings to both groups to avoid potential conflict. The 18th Republic Day celebration included many events, which included cultural dances and musical performances from local bodies to Kathmandu. This occasion saw the presence of the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and other important senior government officials. He stated that a democratic republic system would govern along the principle ‘of the people, by the people, and for the people.’ Unlike the pro-monarchists, he vowed that the country would have multifaceted progress, including fields like education, industries, transportation and communication in a matter of 17 year,s which did not happen in the long span of 250 years of monarchy. He called for unity among people and to strengthen the republic further.
References
“Rival rallies in Kathmandu pass without incident,” The Kathmandu Post, 06 June 2025
“Nepal observes 18th Republic Day as monarchists hold rally,” The Indian Express, 30 May 2025
“Nepal's royalists demand restoration of monarchy dumped 17 years ago,” Reuters, 29 May 2025
About the author
Santhiya M is an undergraduate student at the Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College. Currently, she is working as a research intern at the National Institute of Advanced Studies.
