IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Bhutan

Kingdom of Bhutan

Name	Official Name	Type
Bhutanese National Assembly	Gyelyong Tshogdu	Lower House
Bhutanese National Council	Gyelyong Tshogde	Upper House

Chief of State: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Tshering TOBGAY (since 28 January 2024)
Assembly: bicameral Parliament consisting of a 25-seat National Council ((གི་རྒྱལ་ཡོངས་ཚོགས་སྡེ་ / Gyelyong Tshogde) and a 47-seat National Assembly (ཚོགས་འདུ་ / Tshogdu)

The King is a hereditary monarch.
The Prime Minister, typically the parliamentary majority leader, is appointed by the King.
In the National Council, 20 members are directly elected by plurality vote in single-seat constituencies (1 for each dzongkhag), and the remaining 5 members are appointed by the King. All members serve 5-year terms.
In the National Assembly, all 47 members are directly elected in single-seat constituencies. A nationwide primary election is held to determine which two parties will participate in the general election. Those two parties each nominate one candidate per constituency to run in the general election. Members serve 5-year terms.

2024-01-09
Bhutanese National Assembly
Votes 326,775
Registered 498,135
Turnout 65.6

2023-11-30
Bhutanese National Assembly
Votes 313,162
Registered 497,058
Turnout 63.0

2023-04-20
Bhutanese National Council
Votes 265,441
Registered 485,811
Turnout 54.64

2018-10-18
Bhutanese National Assembly
Votes 313,473
Registered 438,663
Turnout 71.46

2018-04-20
Bhutanese National Council
Votes 234,470
Registered 432,030
Turnout 54.27

2013-07-13
Bhutanese National Assembly
Votes 252,493
Registered 381,790
Turnout 66.13

2013-05-31
Bhutanese National Assembly
Votes 211,018
Registered 381,790
Turnout 55.27

2013-04-23
Bhutanese National Council
Votes 168,180
Registered 379,819
Turnout 44.28

2008-03-24
Bhutanese National Assembly
Votes 253,012
Registered 318,465
Turnout 79.45

2007-12-31
Bhutanese National Council
Votes 147,789
Registered 269,337
Turnout 54.87

Election For	Date	Votes	Registered Voters	Turnout
Bhutanese National Assembly	2024-01-09	326,775	498,135	65.6
Bhutanese National Assembly	2023-11-30	313,162	497,058	63.0
Bhutanese National Council	2023-04-20	265,441	485,811	54.64
Bhutanese National Assembly	2018-10-18	313,473	438,663	71.46
Bhutanese National Council	2018-04-20	234,470	432,030	54.27
Bhutanese National Assembly	2013-07-13	252,493	381,790	66.13
Bhutanese National Assembly	2013-05-31	211,018	381,790	55.27
Bhutanese National Council	2013-04-23	168,180	379,819	44.28
Bhutanese National Assembly	2008-03-24	253,012	318,465	79.45
Bhutanese National Council	2007-12-31	147,789	269,337	54.87

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