Ariddia
24-02-2008, 12:52
Shall we have some good news for once? I wonder how much coverage this will actually get in the world media.
Bhutan is about to have its first national democratic elections.
A 15-member European Union Election Observation Mission will visit Bhutan to monitor the first general elections to the National Assembly in this Himalayan Kingdom which is scheduled for March 24.
The European Union attaches great importance to the process of democratic transition in Bhutan, including the elections and the adoption of the constitution, a statement issued in Brussels said.
[...] "The elections for the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Bhutan are a milestone in the country's history - they will allow the Bhutanese people to exercise their democratic right to vote and to determine their own future," said Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU Commissioner for External Relations.
The first general elections to choose 47 candidates for Bhutan's National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament, will be held on March 24.
Bhutan's transition to democracy began in 2001 when former king Jigme Singye Wangchuk handed over the powers of daily governance to a Council of Ministers.
(link (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/EU_observation_mission_to_monitor_Bhutan_polls/articleshow/2803283.cms))
See also: BBC video on Bhutan preparing for elections (http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6940000/newsid_6941600/6941640.stm?bw=nb&mp=rm&news=1&nol_storyid=6941640&bbcws=1). And quite an interesting BBC video on change in Bhutan (http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6760000/newsid_6762600/6762647.stm?bw=nb&mp=rm&news=1&nol_storyid=6762647&bbcws=1).
Of course, the Wiki has an article all about this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhutanese_general_election%2C_2008) (which I translated into French (http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89lections_g%C3%A9n%C3%A9rales_du_Bhoutan_de_2008) a while ago).
Bhutan is about to have its first national democratic elections.
A 15-member European Union Election Observation Mission will visit Bhutan to monitor the first general elections to the National Assembly in this Himalayan Kingdom which is scheduled for March 24.
The European Union attaches great importance to the process of democratic transition in Bhutan, including the elections and the adoption of the constitution, a statement issued in Brussels said.
[...] "The elections for the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Bhutan are a milestone in the country's history - they will allow the Bhutanese people to exercise their democratic right to vote and to determine their own future," said Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU Commissioner for External Relations.
The first general elections to choose 47 candidates for Bhutan's National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament, will be held on March 24.
Bhutan's transition to democracy began in 2001 when former king Jigme Singye Wangchuk handed over the powers of daily governance to a Council of Ministers.
(link (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/EU_observation_mission_to_monitor_Bhutan_polls/articleshow/2803283.cms))
See also: BBC video on Bhutan preparing for elections (http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6940000/newsid_6941600/6941640.stm?bw=nb&mp=rm&news=1&nol_storyid=6941640&bbcws=1). And quite an interesting BBC video on change in Bhutan (http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6760000/newsid_6762600/6762647.stm?bw=nb&mp=rm&news=1&nol_storyid=6762647&bbcws=1).
Of course, the Wiki has an article all about this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhutanese_general_election%2C_2008) (which I translated into French (http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89lections_g%C3%A9n%C3%A9rales_du_Bhoutan_de_2008) a while ago).