Political System

From the feuding lords of the 19th century through Hereditary Monarchy to the present day Constitutional Democratic Monarchy, Bhutan has come through a smooth transition in the change of its political system.

Though informally, the country was in practice of democratic ways way back since 1953 with the establishment of the National Assembly and the National council and with it decentralization having come in practice.

The constitution of Bhutan was formally launched on 1st November, 2008, followed by the first democratic election the same year. Druk Phuensum Tshogpa made a landslide victory against the People’s Democratic Party securing almost 98% of the parliamentary seat and thus forming the first democratically elected government. Jigme Yoezer Thinley entered Bhutan history as the first democratically elected Prime Minister.

Ironically, five years later, today we have the former opposition party, People’s Democratic Party run the government, with its president Tshering Tobgay as the Second prime Minister.

Alongside democracy, the country has seen a huge leap forward in developmental pace. Change of the better is manifest in every rung of the society and in every citizen.