Bhutan to hold final round of parliamentary elections
Bhutan will elect a new government today.
It is the small Himalayan kingdom’s fourth parliamentary election since it became a democracy in 2007. The first round was held on November 30, 2023, during which the ruling conservative Druk Nyamrup Tshoga (DNT) came in fourth place and was disqualified. The DNT presided over strict and unpopular COVID-19 pandemic measures and has been blamed for plummeting tourist numbers, rising fuel prices and significantly increasing public debt.
The country’s economy has grown at around 4.5% annually since its 10% contraction in 2020, but inflation has exceeded growth and the youth unemployment rate rose to 29%, causing youth emigration to spike. All parties have promised to focus on reviving the economy. Today’s runoff will be held between the liberal People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which came in first with 42.5% of the votes and is favored to win, and the newly established Bhutan Tendrel Party (BTP), which secured 19.6%.
The PDP promised to increase foreign direct investment and increase tourism, while the BTP proposed a large economic stimulus package. Both parties support the king’s plan to build a special economic zone at the border with India and to significantly expand hydropower. Apart from focusing on stimulating growth, the elected government will have to continue attempts at settling a border dispute with China, to which Bhutan maintains no diplomatic relations.
