Government & politics — Bhutan

• named after the Bhotia, the ethnic Tibetans who migrated from Tibet to Bhutan
• "Bod" is the Tibetan name for their land
• the Bhutanese name "Druk Yul" means "Land of the Thunder Dragon"

• history: previous governing documents were various royal decrees; first constitution drafted November 2001 to March 2005,
• ratified 18 July 2008 amendments: proposed as a motion by simple majority vote in a joint session of Parliament; passage requires at least a three-fourths majority vote in a joint session of the next Parliament and assent by the king

• chief of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006); note - King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK abdicated
• Prime Minister Lotay TSHERING (since 7 November 2018) cabinet: Council of Ministers or Lhengye Zhungtshog members nominated by the monarch in consultation with the prime minister and approved by the National Assembly;
• members serve 5-year terms elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary but can be removed by a two-thirds vote of Parliament; leader of the majority party in Parliament is nominated as the prime minister, appointed by the monarch

Description

bicameral Parliament or Chi Tshog consists of: non-partisan National Council or Gyelyong Tshogde (25 seats; 20 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 5 members appointed by the king; members serve 5-year terms) National Assembly or Tshogdu (47 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies in a two-round system; in the primary round, contesting political parties are directly selected by simple majority vote; in the main round, the two top parties in the primary round field candidates who are directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)

Elections

National Council - last held on 20 April 2023 (next to be held in 2028) National Assembly - first round held on 30 November 2023 with a runoff on 9 January 2024 (next to be held in 2028)

• election results: National Council - seats by party - independent 20 (all candidates ran as independents) and 5 appointed by the king; composition as of October 2023 - men 22, women 3, percent of women 12%
• National Assembly - percent of vote by party in first round - PDP 42.5%, BTP 19.6%, DPT 14.9%, DNT 13.1% DTT 9.8%; percent of vote in second round - PDP 55%, BTP 45%; seats by party PDP 30, BTP 17; composition as of January 2024 - men 45, women 2, percent of women 4.3%;

Note

total percent of women in Parliament 6.9%

• highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 associate justices); note - the Supreme Court has sole jurisdiction
• in constitutional matters judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the monarch upon the advice of the National Judicial Commission, a 4-member body to include the Legislative Committee of the National Assembly, the attorney general, the Chief Justice of Bhutan and the senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court; other judges (drangpons) appointed by the monarch from among the High Court judges selected by the National Judicial Commission; chief justice serves a 5-year term or until reaching age 65 years, whichever is earlier; the 4 other judges serve 10-year terms or until age 65,
• whichever is earlier subordinate courts: High Court (first appellate court); District or Dzongkhag Courts; sub-district or Dungkhag Courts

20 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural) Bumthang, Chhukha, Dagana, Gasa, Haa, Lhuentse, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatshel, Punakha, Samdrup Jongkhar, Samtse, Sarpang, Thimphu, Trashigang, Trashi Yangtse, Trongsa, Tsirang, Wangdue Phodrang, Zhemgang

• Bhutan Alliance Party or Druk Thuendrel Tshogpa or DTT (Kinga TSHERING)
• Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or DPT [Dorji WANGDI]
• Bhutan Tendrel Party or BTP (Dasho Tema CHEWANG)
• People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tshering TOBGAY]
• United Party of Bhutan (Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa) or DNT [Lotay TSHERING]

• no citizenship by descent only: the f
• no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

embassy

none; frequent informal contact is maintained via the US embassy in New Delhi (India) and Bhutan's Permanent Mission to the UN

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Phuntsho NORBU (since October 2022) note - also the Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN

telephone

[1] (212) 682-2268

FAX

[1] (212) 661-0551

Email address and website

• consulate.pmbny@mfa.gov.bt
• https://www.mfa.gov.bt/pmbny/

consulate(s) general

New York embassy: 343 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017 note - the Permanent Mission to the UN for Bhutan has consular jurisdiction in the US