Bhutanese Cautiously Approach First Vote (Washington Post)
THIMPHU, Bhutan, March 22 — The journey of this tiny, tranquil Himalayan kingdom from a hereditary monarchy to a modern democracy has not been without pitfalls.

Post-feudal twist: Bhutan’s king gives up power and embraces democracy, but response is tepid (The Standard-Times)
THIMPHU, Bhutan — The command came from the king, as commands normally do in a nation where royalty has ruled for a century. But when the Precious Ruler of the Dragon People spoke that day, he stunned this deeply isolated corner of the Himalayas:…

Bhutanese face subtle choices in first election (Reuters via Yahoo!Xtra News)
PUNAKHA, Bhutan (Reuters) - The people of Bhutan face some subtle choices in their first parliamentary elections on Monday, choices that underline the changes democracy is bringing to this traditional Himalayan kingdom.

Bhutan’s king has willed democracy — like it or not (Arizona Daily Star)
THIMPHU, Bhutan — The command came from the king, as commands normally do in a nation where royalty has ruled for a century. But when the Precious Ruler of the Dragon People spoke that day, he stunned this deeply isolated corner of the Himalayas: The age of monarchs is ending, he said, and power should be yours.

Post-feudal twist: Bhutan’s king gives up power and embraces democracy, but response is tepid (Charleston Daily Mail)
THIMPHU, Bhutan (AP) — The command came from the king, as commands normally do in a nation where royalty has ruled for a century.

Bhutan set for general election (Japan Today)
THIMPHU — Bhutan is all set for Sunday’s first-ever general election to the 47 constituencies of its National Assembly, officials and observers said Saturday.

Bhutan gears up for historic general election (Channel NewsAsia)
THIMPHU, Bhutan : Bhutan plans to seal off its borden with northern India this weekend as a precaution ahead of Monday’s historic general election.

Bhutan’s king relinquishes power with historic vote (Khaleej Times)
THIMPU - The insular kingdom of Bhutan stands poised to become the world’s newest democracy on Monday with historic polls ordered by its revered royal family to end their reign.

Bhutan gets ready for democracy with royal reluctance (Chicago Sun-Times)
THIMPHU, Bhutan — The command came from the king, as commands normally do in a nation where royalty has ruled for a century. But when the Precious Ruler of the Dragon People spoke that day, he stunned this corner of the Himalayas: The age of monarchs is ending, he said, and power is yours.

Excitement, anxiety as Bhutan prepares for first big polls (Channel NewsAsia)
THIMPHU: As the tiny Himalayan state of Bhutan readies for its first major polls next week, many people are still apprehensive of the changes that the country’s shift to democracy will bring.

Election Day is upon us
22 March, 2008 - Bhutan is set to go to polls on Monday to elect 47 of 94 candidates to the National Assembly and determine whether the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa or the People’s Democratic Party forms the country’s first elected government.

Will the postal ballot be pivotal?
22 March, 2008 - About 45 percent of the 36,313 registered postal voters will have to go to their respective polling stations to vote if they want to make a difference in National Assembly elections on March 24.

Sangay Ngedup most likely a shoo-in in Kabji-Talo

PDP’s Sangay Ngedup and DPT’s Tshering Penjor

NA ELECTIONS - PUNAKHA 22 March, 2008 - The People’s Democratic Party must win in Kabji-Talo constituency from Punakha. This is, by and large, the general feeling in the constituency, especially among party’s supporters and also many observers.

Toss-up between youth/age in Nubi-Tangsibji

DPT’s Nidup Zangpo and and PDP’s Kaentsho Sampai Dendup

NA ELECTIONS : TRONGSA 22 March, 2008 - If there is one constituency where the two candidates contesting for a seat in the National Assembly share an excellent rapport, it is in Nubi-Tangsibji of Trongsa dzongkhag.

WHO?
22 March, 2008 - Modern political science questions whether average citizens anywhere in the world have sufficient political information to cast meaningful votes. The general consensus is that only a handful of voters are sophisticated enough to truly understand politics and to base their votes on sound political analysis.

Bankers face off in water politics

DPT’s Chencho Dorji and PDP’s Tsencho Dorji

NA ELECTIONS - PARO 22 March, 2008 - They both have the same names, worked as bankers, were in the same college, worked in the same city of Phuentsholing for some time and are also good friends.

DPT does some catching up
NA ELECTIONS : SAMTSE 22 March, 2008 - A few months ago when the candidates and the party presidents of the two political parties were on their familiarisation tour of Samtse’s four constituencies, the vote bank was leaning more towards the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Shoring up support in Shompangkha
NA ELECTIONS - SARPANG 22 March, 2008 - Candidates of political parties contesting from Shompangkha constituency under Sarpang dzongkhag and their supporters spent the last days of their campaign going from door to door to meet voters.

Bumdeling-Jamkhar seems to swing both ways

DPT’s Duptho and PDP’s Thukten Tshering

NA ELECTIONS : TRASHIYANGTSE 22 March, 2008 - It has just been a few weeks since the black-necked cranes left their winter roosting grounds in Bumdeling and flew back to Tibet and the people in Trashiyangtse held their ribald festival of Gomphu Kora.

Korphu holds the key to Drakteng-Langthel
NA ELECTIONS : TRONGSA 22 March, 2008 - In many constituencies voters have made it clear that whoever can provide a road connection will get the votes. That may not be the case for Drakteng-Langthel, one of two constituencies of the central dzongkhag of Trongsa.

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