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| Turnout | 54.64% [1] | ||
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 Incumbent re-elected Incumbent defeated Open seat | |||
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National Council elections were held in Bhutan on 20 April 2023. [2] [3] [4]
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| Turnout | 54.64% [1] | ||
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| Incumbent re-elected Incumbent defeated Open seat | |||
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National Council elections were held in Bhutan on 20 April 2023. [2] [3] [4]
The 20 members of the National Council are elected from single-member constituencies using first-past-the-post voting. [5]
| Dzongkhag | Candidate | Votes | % | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bumthang | Kencho Tshering | 4,381 | 40.1 | Elected |
| Kunzang Dorji | 2,261 | 20.7 | Unseated | |
| Chukha | Sangay Dorji | 7,958 | 28.4 | Re-elected |
| Damcho Gyeltshen | 4,141 | 14.78 | ||
| Hem Prasad Rai | 2,078 | 7.42 | ||
| Tandin Wangchuk | 999 | 3.57 | ||
| Dagana | Birendra Chimoria | 7,143 | 25.88 | Elected |
| Surjaman Thapa | 3,787 | 13.72 | Unseated | |
| Tshechu | 2,737 | 9.92 | ||
| Dawa | 1,746 | 6.33 | ||
| Gasa | Tshering | 986 | 43.26 | Elected |
| Dorji Khandu | 806 | 35.37 | Unseated | |
| Haa | Dago Tsheringla | 2,690 | 31.84 | Elected |
| Ugyen Namgay | 2,101 | 24.87 | Unseated | |
| Lhuntse | Kelzang Lhundup | 4,600 | 24.89 | Elected |
| Tshering Penjor | 4,514 | 24.43 | ||
| Mongar | Tshering Wangchen | 6,066 | 15.9 | Elected |
| Sonam Pelzom | 4,349 | 11.4 | Unseated | |
| Tashi Penjor | 3,591 | 9.41 | ||
| Dorji Wangmo | 3,305 | 8.66 | ||
| Chhimi Dorji | 1,993 | 5.22 | ||
| Tshering Dorji | 1,255 | 3.29 | ||
| Jigme Tenzin | 926 | 2.43 | ||
| Paro | Ugyen Tshering | 3,547 | 16.99 | Re-elected |
| Jigme | 3,330 | 15.95 | ||
| Gyeltshen Dukpa | 2,135 | 10.23 | ||
| Ugyen Dorji | 2,047 | 9.8 | ||
| Zecko | 882 | 4.22 | ||
| Pemagatshel | Jamyang Namgyal | 7,149 | 25.03 | Elected |
| Choining Dorji | 4,213 | 14.75 | Unseated | |
| Yeshey Jamtsho | 3,999 | 14 | ||
| Punakha | Namgay Dorji | 3,316 | 17.65 | Elected |
| Lhaki Dolma | 2,843 | 15.13 | Unseated | |
| Chencho Wangdi | 1,968 | 10.48 | ||
| Dophu Dukpa | 1,627 | 8.66 | ||
| Dorji Tenzin | 1,164 | 6.2 | ||
| Samdrup Jongkhar | Tshewang Rinchen | 5,639 | 19.64 | Elected |
| Tshering Norbu | 3,117 | 10.86 | ||
| Tempa Gyeltshen | 2,999 | 10.45 | ||
| Karma Tshering Wangchuk | 2,081 | 7.25 | ||
| Ran Bahadur Biswa | 1,517 | 5.28 | ||
| Tshering Choeda | 965 | 3.36 | ||
| Samtse | Tashi Dendup | 7,161 | 13.82 | Elected |
| Kumar Ghalley | 5,202 | 10.04 | ||
| Subash Sharma | 4,751 | 9.17 | ||
| Ngawang Tshering | 3,585 | 6.92 | ||
| Chungdu Tshering | 1,776 | 3.43 | ||
| Pol Prasad Chapagai | 1,595 | 3.08 | ||
| Til Chand Sharma | 1,138 | 2.2 | ||
| Samir Giri | 1,029 | 1.99 | ||
| Sarpang | Pema Tashi | 5,253 | 15.54 | Elected |
| San Bdr. Monger | 2,918 | 8.63 | ||
| Kuenga | 2,863 | 8.47 | ||
| Dechen Lhaden | 2,170 | 6.42 | ||
| Deo Kumar Rimal | 1,957 | 5.79 | ||
| Anand Rai | 1,848 | 5.47 | Unseated | |
| Khari Lal Gurung | 1,091 | 3.23 | ||
| Rajesh Rai | 804 | 2.38 | ||
| Dorji Dukpa | 760 | 2.25 | ||
| Thimphu | Leki Tshering | 4,102 | 24.97 | Elected |
| Nima Gyeltshen | 3,046 | 18.54 | ||
| Trashigang | Sonam Tobgyel | 12,958 | 24.83 | Elected |
| Gongsar Karma Chhopel | 5,584 | 10.7 | ||
| Jakar Dorji | 4,923 | 9.44 | ||
| Sangay Tenzin | 1,738 | 3.33 | ||
| Galey Tenzin | 987 | 1.89 | ||
| Trashiyangtse | Sonam Tenzin | 3,624 | 17.6 | Elected |
| Ngawang Tashi | 2,708 | 13.15 | ||
| Kiba Wangchuk | 1,690 | 8.21 | ||
| Karma Gyeltshen | 1,350 | 6.56 | Unseated | |
| Sonam Tshering | 1,162 | 5.64 | ||
| Trongsa | Rinzin Namgyal | 3,109 | 27.95 | Elected |
| Sonam Penjor | 2,897 | 26.05 | ||
| Tsirang | Nima Wangdi | 5,359 | 20.52 | Elected |
| Sarvajit Rai | 3,382 | 12.95 | ||
| Yangkhu Tshering Sherpa | 2,689 | 10.29 | ||
| Narapati Nepal | 1,146 | 4.39 | ||
| Raghu Nath Nepal | 921 | 3.53 | ||
| Gopal Thapa | 886 | 3.39 | ||
| Wangdue Phodrang | Phub Dorji | 4,143 | 18.52 | Elected |
| Nim Gyeltshen | 3,498 | 15.64 | ||
| Ugyen | 3,176 | 14.2 | ||
| Karma Dorji | 2,204 | 9.85 | ||
| Kuenley Tshering | 1,709 | 7.64 | ||
| Zhemgang | Tshering Tshomo | 3,170 | 15.45 | Elected |
| Sonam Leki | 2,930 | 14.28 | ||
| Thinley Jamtsho | 2,781 | 13.55 | ||
| Tshering Yeshi | 1,367 | 6.66 | ||
| Samphel Dendup | 1,343 | 6.54 | ||
| Total | 265,441 | 100 | ||
| Registered voters/turnout | 485,811 | 54.64 | ||
| Source: Election Commission of Bhutan | ||||
The Government of Bhutan has been a constitutional monarchy since 18 July 2008. The King of Bhutan is the head of state. The executive power is exercised by the Lhengye Zhungtshog, or council of ministers, headed by the Prime Minister. Legislative power is vested in the bicameral Parliament, both the upper house, National Council, and the lower house, National Assembly. A royal edict issued on April 22, 2007 lifted the previous ban on political parties in anticipation of the National Assembly elections in the following year. In 2008, Bhutan adopted its first modern Constitution, codifying the institutions of government and the legal framework for a democratic multi-party system.
Lyonpo Jigme Yoser Thinley is a Bhutanese politician who was Prime Minister of Bhutan from 20 July 1998 to 9 July 1999, 30 August 2003 to 18 August 2004 and 9 April 2008 to 28 April 2013.
The Kingdom of Bhutan is divided into 20 districts. Bhutan is located between the Tibet Autonomous Region of China and India on the eastern slopes of the Himalayas in South Asia.
Elections in Bhutan are conducted at national (Parliamentary) and local levels. Suffrage is universal for citizens 18 and over, and under applicable election laws. In national elections, also known as the general elections, political party participation is mainly restricted to the lower house of Parliament, and by extension, to the executive nominated by its majority
Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked country in South Asia situated in the Eastern Himalayas between China in the north and India in the south. With a population of over 727,145 and a territory of 38,394 square kilometres (14,824 sq mi), Bhutan ranks 133rd in land area and 160th in population. Bhutan is a constitutional monarchy with a king as the head of state and a prime minister as the head of government. Vajrayana Buddhism is the state religion and the Je Khenpo is the head of the state religion.
The Bhutan men's national cricket team, nicknamed The Dragons, represents the Kingdom of Bhutan in international cricket. The team is organised by the Bhutan Cricket Council Board, which became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2001 and an associate member in 2017. Bhutan made its international debut in 2003, at the Emerging Nations Tournament organised by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). The team has since regularly participated in ACC tournaments, and also in the World Cricket League event WCL Division Eight in 2010 and 2012.
The Council of Ministers is the highest executive body in Bhutan. It was created in 1999 by Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the fourth King of Bhutan.
National Assembly elections were held in Bhutan for the first time on 24 March 2008. Two parties were registered by the Election Commission of Bhutan to contest the elections; Druk Phuensum Tshogpa, led by Jigme Y. Thinley, which was formed by the merger of the Bhutan People's United Party and All People's Party, and the People's Democratic Party (PDP). A third political party, the Bhutan National Party (BNP), had its application for the registration refused.
The development of Bhutanese democracy has been marked by the active encouragement and participation of reigning Bhutanese monarchs since the 1950s, beginning with legal reforms such as the abolition of slavery, and culminating in the enactment of Bhutan's Constitution. The first democratic elections in Bhutan began in 2007, and all levels of government had been democratically elected by 2011. These elections included Bhutan's first ever partisan National Assembly election. Democratization in Bhutan has been marred somewhat by the intervening large-scale expulsion and flight of Bhutanese refugees during the 1990s; the subject remains somewhat taboo in Bhutanese politics. Bhutan was ranked 13th most electoral democratic country in Asia according to V-Dem Democracy indices in 2023 with a score of 0.535 out of 1.
National Council elections were held in Bhutan for the first time on 31 December 2007, having been originally scheduled for 26 December. The new National Council had 25 members, which 20 members were directly elected from 20 dzongkhags by 312,817 eligible voters, and five more were appointed by the Druk Gyalpo. Nominations had to be filed by 27 November 2007, and the campaigning for 15 of the 20 dzongkhags took place from 30 November until 31 December 2007.
The National Council is the upper house of Bhutan's bicameral Parliament, which also comprises the Druk Gyalpo and the National Assembly.
The National Assembly is the elected lower house of Bhutan's bicameral Parliament which also comprises the Druk Gyalpo and the National Council.
The Parliament of Bhutan consists of the King of Bhutan together with a bicameral parliament. This bicameral parliament is made up of an upper house, the National Council and a lower house, the National Assembly. The current parliamentary framework replaced the unicameral Tshogdu in 2007, with the first members taking seats in 2008.
The Constitution of Bhutan was enacted 18 July 2008 by the Royal Government of Bhutan. The Constitution was thoroughly planned by several government officers and agencies over a period of almost seven years amid increasing democratic reforms in Bhutan. The current Constitution is based on Buddhist philosophy, international Conventions on Human Rights, comparative analysis of 20 other modern constitutions, public opinion, and existing laws, authorities, and precedents. According to Princess Sonam Wangchuck, the constitutional committee was particularly influenced by the Constitution of South Africa because of its strong protection of human rights.
National Council elections were held in Bhutan on 23 April 2013. All candidates ran as independents, as National Council members were prohibited from belonging to a political party.
Wangdi Norbu is a Bhutanese politician who served as Finance Minister in the Council of Ministers from July 2003 to July 2007, and from April 2008 to May 2013. He was the chairman of Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan from 2003 to 2007 and from 2008 to 2010.
The Bhutan women's national cricket team, nicknamed The Lady Dragons, represents Bhutan in international women's cricket. The team is organised by the Bhutan Cricket Council Board, which has been a member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 2001. The team made its international debut against Qatar in 2009.
National Council elections were held in Bhutan on 20 April 2018.
Tshering Tshomo is a Bhutanese politician and former teacher. During the 2023 election, she was the only woman directly elected to serve in the National Council, representing Zhemgang District.
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