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Bhutan to hold its first democratic vote

The remote Asian nation is sandwiched between India and China. From AP-

GAUHATI, India - Bhutan will hold its first democratic elections on March 24, ending nearly 100 years of absolute monarchy in the isolated Himalayan nation, officials said Thursday. The vote will cap a period of intense transformation for the Buddhist kingdom since the monarch declared in December 2006 he was abdicating in favor of his son and ushering in democracy.

Some 400,000 people are registered to elect the 47 members of the National Assembly, Parliament's lower house, in the elections, said Chief Election Commissioner Kunzang Wangdi. He said the country's first democratically elected prime minister would be installed on March 25 after election authorities submit the list of winning lawmakers to 27-year-old Oxford-educated King Jigme Keshar Namgyal Wangchuck.

Under a draft constitution circulated by former King Jigme Singhye Wangchuck, the king will become head of state, but Parliament will have the power to impeach him by a two-thirds vote.

Welcome to the free world people of Bhutan. I find your concept of impeaching monarchs intriguing. Maybe the British can take a lesson from you. Would Prince Charles survive a vote of the House of Commons. He divorced a beautiful woman and eventually married a polo pony.

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Comments (1)

Good for Bhutan!As... (Below threshold)

Good for Bhutan!

As far as concerns Prince Charles, at least he had the good common sense to have Diana bear his heirs. Imagine the child of Charles and Camilla . . . not a pretty thought. The young Princes give hope of reversing a centuries-long tradition of ugly British royalty.

Hey, if you're going to be a figurehead, you may as well look good.




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