Voters in Bhutan braved heavy rain and treacherous mountain paths to cast their ballots yesterday as the “land of the thunder dragon” began electing a government for only the second time.
Wearing traditional dress and sheltering under umbrellas, Bhutanese queued patiently at polling stations in the isolated Himalayan nation in the first round of voting to determine the lower house of parliament.
“There are so many pledges in their [politicians’] manifestos, but basically what we expect is a government that can bring about happiness to the people and at the same time economic development,” said Chimi Dorji, 35, as he waited to vote in Dopshari village, about an hour-and-a-half drive from the capital Thimphu.
Photo: AFP
“Because without economic prosperity there can’t be happiness,” he added.
Bhutan is the only country in the world to pursue “Gross National Happiness,” a development model that measures the mental as well as material wellbeing of citizens.
Other policies that set the country apart include banning TV until 1999 and keeping out mass tourism to shield its Buddhist culture from foreign influence.
While the electorate comprises fewer than 400,000 people, voting is a huge logistical challenge across the rugged country, where democracy was ushered in just five years ago after Bhutan’s “dragon kings” ceded absolute power.
In the run-up to the poll, officials trekked for up to seven days to reach voters in the most remote corners of the country.
Armed with satellite phones to send in results, officials have battled heavy rains and slippery leech-infested trails to ensure that even isolated yak-owning nomads can cast their vote, the national Kuensel newspaper reported.
“Because the monsoon period has started people may face a little difficulty in climbing the mountains ... but as of now all are set and ready,” said Sherab Zangpo, a spokesman for the Election Commission of Bhutan.
Voters would choose from four parties in yesterday’s primary round of voting for the National Assembly. The two most popular parties are then to contest a run-off on July 13 to form the next government.
In Dopshari village, men wearing the traditional gho robe and women the kira dress waited to cast their ballots, some of them chewing betel nut to pass the time.
Many took the secret ballot seriously and were unwilling to disclose their vote, but true to Bhutan’s reputation, happiness was high on the agenda.
In the country’s first election in 2008, the center-right Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) won a huge landslide and secured 45 of 47 seats available against the People’s Democratic Party.
This time two new center-left parties are joining the contest, both led by women, but the DPT is generally expected to win again through its popularity with rural communities, which make up about 70 percent of the population.
In the past five years they have seen hugely improved access to roads, electricity and mobile-phone networks. However, many educated, urban voters are less impressed with the government’s work, political analyst Kencho Wangdi said.
Their concerns include a string of corruption scandals, a lack of new jobs, a weak private sector and a rupee liquidity crunch.
Bhutan is heavily dependent on its neighbor India for aid, investment and imports, and too much demand caused stocks of the Indian rupee to run out last year. Bank loans and imports of cars and luxury goods are still banned in Bhutan as a result.
Despite urban people’s frustrations, they are likely to hold less sway over rural voters than they did in 2008 when the country somewhat reluctantly embraced democracy on the command of the revered monarch, Wangdi said.
“Now after five years ... the sense is that they can make up their own mind. They know a fair amount about what democracy is and who to vote for, and they’re saying that they will vote based on informed choices,” he added.
Turnout was just 45 percent in an election last month for the upper house of parliament, the National Council, but greater interest was expected yesterday, which was declared a public holiday.
FRAUD ALLEGED: The leader of an opposition alliance made allegations of electoral irregularities and called for a protest in Tirana as European leaders are to meet Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party scored a large victory in parliamentary elections, securing him his fourth term, official results showed late on Tuesday. The Socialist Party won 52.1 percent of the vote on Sunday compared with 34.2 percent for an alliance of opposition parties led by his main rival Sali Berisha, according to results released by the Albanian Central Election Commission. Diaspora votes have yet to be counted, but according to initial results, Rama was also leading there. According to projections, the Socialist Party could have more lawmakers than in 2021 elections. At the time, it won 74 seats in the
A Croatian town has come up with a novel solution to solve the issue of working parents when there are no public childcare spaces available: pay grandparents to do it. Samobor, near the capital, Zagreb, has become the first in the country to run a “Grandmother-Grandfather Service,” which pays 360 euros (US$400) a month per child. The scheme allows grandparents to top up their pension, but the authorities also hope it will boost family ties and tackle social isolation as the population ages. “The benefits are multiple,” Samobor Mayor Petra Skrobot told reporters. “Pensions are rather low and for parents it is sometimes
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
CANCER: Jose Mujica earned the moniker ‘world’s poorest president’ for giving away much of his salary and living a simple life on his farm, with his wife and dog Tributes poured in on Tuesday from across Latin America following the death of former Uruguayan president Jose “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-guerrilla fighter revered by the left for his humility and progressive politics. He was 89. Mujica, who spent a dozen years behind bars for revolutionary activity, lost his battle against cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment. “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our comrade Pepe Mujica. President, activist, guide and leader. We will miss you greatly, old friend,” Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi wrote on X. “Pepe, eternal,” a cyclist shouted out minutes later,
RSS