Background:
In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule
by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of
government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy
within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist
insurgency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening
to bring down the regime. In 2001, the Crown Prince massacred ten
members of the royal family, including the king and queen, and then
took his own life. In October 2002, the new king dismissed the prime
minister and his cabinet for "incompetence" after they dissolved the
parliament and were subsequently unable to hold elections because of
the ongoing insurgency. The country is now governed by the king and
his appointed cabinet, which has negotiated a cease-fire with the
Maoist insurgents, until elections can be held at some unspecified
future date.