Bhutan Holds First Democratic Elections
By Joseph Catapano
March 26, 2008

According to the Washington Post close to 80% of an estimated 318,000 registered voters participated in Bhutan’s first parliamentary elections on Monday. The small Himalayan Kingdom was ruled as an absolute monarchy since 1907.

The elections in Bhutan stood in stark contrast to neighboring Nepal, where, according to The New York Times, a “vocal and angry antimonarchist movement” has taken place. Elections in Bhutan were highly organized and planned in advance. The Washington Post writes that “mock elections were held last year to help voters get a feel for the process.” Bhutanese journalists were trained on the coverage of political campaigns, and candidates visited constituents door-to-door seeking support.

Many stores were closed the day of the election, as citizens and their families came from around the country, in some cases on horseback or on foot, to vote. The Druk Pheunsum Tshogpa (DPT) party, which had five of its members serve in the royal administration, appears to have won handily, taking 44 of the 47 seats. It is likely that Bhutan will now be led by DPT President Jigmi Thinley.

Critics see the elections as too exclusive and as having ties too close to the outgoing monarchy; they cite the electoral margin of victory by the DPT as evidence of this. Also, since there were no striking differences between the platforms of the DPT and the opposing People’s Democratic Party (PDP), many have found the disparity in election results hard to explain.

“We are all caught completely off balance at this moment,” said Karma Ura, director of the Center for Bhutan Studies, a government financed organization. “Functioning of democracy requires a good opposition. I don’t know what will happen now. It’s not an ideal situation.”

Elections further Jigme Singye Wangchuck’s (Bhutan’s fourth king) “gross national happiness” plan, which reformed the country’s feudal system, giving land and jobs to the poorest farmers and launched free health and education systems.

“There has been no precedent for anything like this in Bhutan,” said DPT Spokesman Palden Tshering. “We are all taking baby steps. But it’s really a wonderful moment in our nation.”  

References:

The Washington Post: In Bhutan, a Historic Trek to the Polls

The New York Times: Heavy Turnout in First Bhutan Election

www.ccd21.org