The people in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan just voted in their first election, ever. The former king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, decided to devolve power from the absolute monarchy to the people, by abdicating and creating a constitutional monarchy under the leadership of his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck. This first election of the national assembly was the final step in the creation of the constitutional monarchy.
The results were suprising to many: the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) won 44 out of 47 seats, while the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) only won 3. Even their leader, Sangay Ngedup, the former minister of health and brother to the queen mothers, lost his seat. The DPT is led by five former ministers, so government direction is not expected to change significantly.
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