After the 2013 general elections, there was much bitterness and anger among DPT supporters on losing. Complicated by external developments in the form of LGP and kerosene prices increases there was an almost religious belief among DPT supporters that the 2013 elections were never fair or that the whole thing …

So, the Primary round of our 3rd Parliamentary elections is behind us and we now look forward to the General round. The result did not disappoint – it was unavoidable that Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) would emerge victorious. I foresaw too that People’s Democratic Party (PDP) would not make it to the General round …

Message from Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa President With utmost humility, I, on behalf of Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa team, congratulate all political parties for their participation in the primary round of the third National Assembly elections. It is a matter of pride, to be part of the process with political parties formidable …

Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) performed well in the two constituencies in Chukha. In Phuentsholing constituency, DNT secured the highest votes at 2,685 votes (2,167 EVM + 578 PB), People’s Democratic Party (PDP) came second with 2,364 votes (2,012 EVM + 352 PB) Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) secured 938 votes (832 …

As soon as the results of a win started pouring in, the social media started seeing victorious supporters not only celebrating loudly but also issuing open taunts and threats to supporters and perceived supporters of other parties. There were promises to shut down companies and ‘fix people’, as supporters on …

With the primary round of election for the National Assembly 2018 just near the doorsteps, one of the most common observations cited by politicians in the field is that majority of the Bhutanese electorates have matured enough to better comprehend the electoral processes and analyze the unrealistic political pledges well …

Before Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel’s arrival in 1616, Bhutan was divided into different valleys and areas held by competing chiefs and temporal rulers. Bhutan only became a coherent and united political entity after this and, even then, soon after Shabdrung’s passing away, local power centers took over again with regional lords …

Every five years Bhutan loses an important three months in the interim government period when a largely symbolic government is in place and decisions are frozen at various levels. Developmental and economic activities are either stopped or slow down and only the most essential work is done. In the civil …

Democracy is in crisis. Fake news – and fake allegations of fake news – now plagues civil discourse, and political parties have proved increasingly willing to use xenophobia and other malign strategies to win elections. At the same time, revisionist powers like Vladimir Putin’s Russia have been stepping up their efforts to …

Despite some controversies and the occasional chest beating, elections in Bhutan are free and fair and very peaceful compared to the neighborhood. However, the issue is not so much with the process which is accredited and praised by international observers, but on the energies and forces that it unleashes among …