Federal Socialist Forum, Nepal

{{Infobox political party

| country = Nepal

| name = Federal Socialist Forum, Nepal

| native_name = संघीय समाजवादी फोरम, नेपाल

| logo =

| abbreviation = FSFN

| colorcode = #FFC0CB

| general_secretary = Ram Sahay Yadav

| chairperson = Upendra Yadav
Rajendra Prasad Shrestha

| foundation = {{start date and age|df=yes|p=y|2015|06|15}}

| merger = Madheshi Jana Adhikar Forum, Nepal
Federal Socialist Party Nepal
Khas Samabeshi Party

| successor = Samajbadi Party, Nepal

| dissolved = 6 May 2019

| headquarters = Tinkune, Kathmandu, Nepal

| ideology = Democratic socialism
Secularism
Progressivism
Ethnic federalism

| position = Centre-left to Left-wing

| wing2_title = Student Wing

| wing2 = Socialist Student's Forum

| youth_wing = Federal Youth Union

| wing3_title = Women's Wing

| wing3 = Federal Socialist Women's Forum

| wing4_title = Teacher's Wing

| wing4 = Federal Nepal Teachers' Union

| website = {{Url|http://federalsocialist.org}}

| symbol = 100px

| flag = Flag of the Federal Socialist Forum, Nepal.png

}}

The Federal Socialist Forum, Nepal ({{langx|ne|संघीय समाजवादी फोरम, नेपाल}}; abbreviated FSFN) was a democratic socialist political party in Nepal. The party came into being on 15 June 2015 with the merger of the Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum, Nepal, the Federal Socialist Party Nepal and the Khas Samabeshi Party.{{cite web|title=Three parties merge to become Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal|url=http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2015-06-16/three-parties-merge-to-become-sanghiya-samajbadi-forum-nepal.html|website=Ekantipur|access-date=4 June 2017}}

On 6 May 2019, the party merged with Naya Shakti Party, Nepal to form Samajbadi Party, Nepal.{{cite web|title=Forum, Naya Shakti unify to form Samajwadi Party|url=http://english.onlinekhabar.com/forum-naya-shakti-unify-to-form-samajwadi-party.html|website=OnlineKhabar English|access-date=6 May 2019}}

History

=Foundation=

On 14 June 2015 the Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum, Nepal, the Federal Socialist Party Nepal and the Khas Samabeshi Party announced that they were to merge on 15 June 2015 to intensify their efforts to revive the fast “fading” Madhesi and Janajati movement in the country.{{cite web|title=3 parties to announce merger today|url=http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/printedition/news/2015-06-14/3-parties-to-announce-merger-today.html|website=Ekantipur|access-date=4 June 2017}} The party was formed with Upendra Yadav and Rajendra Shrestha as co-chairs and Ashok Rai as the parliamentary party leader.{{Cite web|url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/tag/federal-socialist-forum-nepal-chairman-upendra-yadav/|title=Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav - The Himalayan Times|website=The Himalayan Times|language=en-US|access-date=2018-11-28}} The new party had a total strength of 15 in the Constituent Assembly of Nepal following the merger (10 from MJF-N and 5 from FSPN).{{Cite news|url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/federal-socialist-forum-nepal-party-announces-elections-manifesto/|title=Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal Party announces elections manifesto|date=2017-09-07|work=The Himalayan Times|access-date=2018-11-28|language=en-US}}

On 19 June 2017, Sarita Giri-led Nepal Sadbhawana Party decided to merge with the party.{{cite web|title=Sarita Giri-led NSP merges with SSFN|url=http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2017-06-09/sarita-giri-led-nsp-merges-with-ssfn.html|website=Ekantipur|access-date=9 June 2017}}

=Local elections=

On 27 February, the party announced that it would be participating in the first phase of the local elections to be held on May 14,{{cite web|title=CPN-UML, FSF-Nepal registered at EC for local polls|url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/cpn-uml-fsf-nepal-registered-ec-local-polls/|website=THT Online|access-date=4 June 2017}} going back on their previous decision to not participate until the constitution was amended.{{cite web|title=FSFN to contest polls; RJP to await amendment|url=http://www.myrepublica.com/news/19244/|website=Nagarik News|access-date=4 June 2017}} They also announced an alliance with Naya Shakti Party, Nepal led by former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, announcing that they would field common candidates and share the same electoral symbol in the upcoming elections.{{cite web|title=Naya Shakti, FSFN to field consensus candidates|url=http://www.myrepublica.com/news/19085/|website=Nagarik News|access-date=4 June 2017}}{{cite web|title=Forum, Naya Shakti form alliance; to contest local polls with common symbol|url=http://english.onlinekhabar.com/2017/04/25/399094|website=Online Khabar|access-date=4 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427100854/http://english.onlinekhabar.com/2017/04/25/399094|archive-date=27 April 2017|url-status=dead}} Following this decision party co-chair Upendra Yadav was removed as head of the Federal Alliance and the party was removed from the alliance.{{cite web|title=Upendra Yadav 'purged', Mahantha Thakur made coordinator|url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/upendra-yadav-purged-federal-alliance-leadership|website=THT Online|access-date=4 June 2017}}/ The party did not win any seats in the first of the local elections. In the second phase of the election however, 382 candidates from the party were elected, including 8 in mayoral posts.{{Cite news|url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/results-for-second-round-of-poll-announced-in-all-local-levels/|title=Results for second round of poll announced in all local levels|date=2017-07-11|work=The Himalayan Times|access-date=2018-03-26|language=en-US}}

The party broke its alliance with Naya Shakti before the third phase of the elections after failing to merge the two parties.{{Cite web|url=http://english.onlinekhabar.com/after-failure-in-unification-bid-naya-shakti-forum-election-alliance-in-limbo.html|title=After failure in unification bid, Naya Shakti-Forum election alliance in limbo – OnlineKhabar|website=english.onlinekhabar.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-03-26}} 1,057 candidates from the party were elected, the party won in 26 mayoral posts including a win in Birgunj.{{Cite news|url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/federal-socialist-forum-nepal-wins-mayor-nepali-congress-deputy-mayor-birgunj-metropolitan-city/|title=FSF-N wins mayor and NC deputy mayor in Birgunj|date=2017-09-27|work=The Himalayan Times|access-date=2018-03-26|language=en-US}}

= Legislative and provincial elections =

The party announced an alliance with Rastriya Janata Party, Nepal before the elections.{{Cite news|url=http://www.myrepublica.com/news/29894/|title=FSFN, RJPN sign poll alliance deal in Province 2|work=My Republica|access-date=2018-03-25|language=en}} The party won 16 seats to the House of Representatives and finished with the fifth highest vote count in proportional representation.{{Cite news|url=http://www.myrepublica.com/news/32740/?categoryId=81|title=PR vote counting concludes|work=My Republica|access-date=2018-03-25|language=en}} The party was one of five parties to be declared "national parties".{{Cite news|url=http://peoplesreview.com.np/2017/12/20/only-five-parties-crossed-the-threshold-margin-in-pr-votes/|title=Only five parties crossed the threshold margin in PR votes - People's Review|work=People's Review|access-date=2018-03-26|language=en-US}}

In the provincial assembly elections, the party won 3 seats in Province No. 1, 29 seats in Province No. 2 and 5 seats in Lumbini Province.{{Cite news|url=http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2017-12-23/ec-allots-proportional-seats-of-provincial-vote.html|title=EC allots proportional seats of provincial vote|access-date=2018-03-25|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.myrepublica.com/news/33048/?categoryId=81|title=UML, NC and Maoists win 75, 72 and 35 provincial assembly PR seats|work=My Republica|access-date=2018-03-26|language=en}} Following the election, FSFN and Rastriya Janata Party announced that they would form a coalition government in Province No. 2, with FSFN getting the post of Chief Minister and RJPN getting the post of Speaker.{{Cite news|url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/fsf-n-rjp-n-agree-form-coalition-government-province-2/|title=FSF-N and RJP-N agree to form coalition government in Province 2|date=2018-02-06|work=The Himalayan Times|access-date=2018-03-25|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.myrepublica.com/news/36063/|title=Province 2: Chief Minister to FSFN, Speaker to RJPN|work=My Republica|access-date=2018-03-26|language=en}} Mohammad Lalbabu Raut who was parliamentary party leader in the provincial assembly was appointed as the Chief Minister of Province No. 2.{{Cite news|url=http://www.myrepublica.com/news/36296/|title=Lalbabu Raut appointed as Chief Minister of Province-2|work=My Republica|access-date=2018-03-26|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/lalbabu-raut-sworn-province-2-cm-today/|title=Lalbabu Raut to be sworn in Province 2 CM today|date=2018-02-14|work=The Himalayan Times|access-date=2018-03-26|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/federal-socialist-forum-nepal-pact-on-amendment-must-before-joining-government/|title=Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal|date=2018-03-19|work=The Himalayan Times|access-date=2018-11-28|language=en-US}}

Ideology

File:Ashok Rai at farewell program in Australia.jpg, the senior leader of the party.]]

The party in its manifesto has expressed support for identity-based federalism and socialism. The party has stated that it would also end discrimination and suffering based on ethnicity, language, gender and regional status. The manifesto also reads that the party was formed in view of the need for an alternate national force to implement the progressive agendas including rights of ethnic groups, identity, federalism, republic, secularism, inclusive democracy, autonomy, good governance, proportional system, and social justice and security.{{cite web|title=Federal Socialist Forum Nepal makes party manifesto public|url=http://setopati.net/politics/7183/Federal-Socialist-Forum-Nepal-makes-party-manifesto-public/|website=Setopati|access-date=4 June 2017}}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}