Bhutan held primary votes on November 30 to choose the top two of the five political parties that will contest the fourth general election on January 9 in the history of the small Himalayan kingdom.
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| Bhutanese voters gather at primary polling stations to choose the ruling party for the upcoming term. (Source: Barrons) |
Bhutanese voters held their first general election after political reforms in 2008. With much of the population far from roads, a quarter of the nearly 500,000 registered voters used postal ballots, while the rest had to travel long distances to vote in person.
Bhutan's constitution provides for a two-tier parliamentary election system. All registered parties can participate in the primary, with the top two parties advancing to the final round on January 9.
Bhutan currently has five political parties: Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT), Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT), People's Democratic Party (PDP), Druk Thuendrel Tshogpa (DTT) and Bhutan Tendrel Party (BTP). The current ruling party is DNT.
Nestled between China and India, the small kingdom of Bhutan is famous for its philosophy of “Gross National Happiness.” Ignoring traditional economic metrics, Bhutan measures its overall well-being on the basis of sustainable and equitable socio-economic development; conservation of nature; preservation and promotion of culture; and good governance.
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