Bhutan’s People’s Democratic Party wins election in Himalayan kingdom and returns to power
Bhutan’s People’s Democratic Party wins election in Himalayan kingdom and returns to power
A Bhutanese woman shows the ink mark on her index finger after casting her vote in the national elections in Deothang, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. The landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range is electing a new Parliament, with the parties in contest promising to fix the nation’s economic crisis. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
A security person guards a room where electronic voting machines are kept inside a polling station on the eve of general election at Norphung village in Bhutan, Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
An election official shows a ballot paper displayed outside a polling station on the eve of general election in Deothang in Bhutan, Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Bhutanese women stand in a queue to cast their votes at a polling centre during general election in Rikhey village, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. Voters in Bhutan, a landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range with a population of around 800,000 people, are casting ballots to elect a new Parliament. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Election officials sort postal ballots ahead of Tuesday’s general election at the Deputy Commissioners office in Samdrup Jongkhar, Bhutan, Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Bhutanese people in traditional attire queue up to cast their votes in the national elections in Deothang, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. The landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range is electing a new Parliament, with the parties in contest promising to fix the nation’s economic crisis. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
A Bhutanese man in traditional attire walks to cast his vote in the national elections in Deothang, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. The landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range is electing a new Parliament, with the parties in contest promising to fix the nation’s economic crisis. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
A polling official puts ink mark on the index finger of a voter before she cast her vote in the national elections in Deothang, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. The landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range is electing a new Parliament, with the parties in contest promising to fix the nation’s economic crisis. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Election officials sort postal ballots ahead of Tuesday’s general election at the Deputy Commissioners office in Samdrup Jongkhar, Bhutan, Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
A Bhutanese villager heads to cast his vote at a polling centre during in Martang village, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. Voters in Bhutan, a landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range with a population of around 800,000 people, are casting ballots to elect a new Parliament. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Polling officials unseal an electronic voting machine to count votes after general election in Deothang, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. Voters in Bhutan, a landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range with a population of around 800,000 people, are casting ballots to elect a new Parliament. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Security officers and polling officers wait for voters at a polling centre in Martang village, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. Voters in Bhutan, a landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range with a population of around 800,000 people, are casting ballots to elect a new Parliament. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
A Bhutanese woman shows the ink mark on her index finger after casting her vote in the national elections in Deothang, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. The landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range is electing a new Parliament, with the parties in contest promising to fix the nation’s economic crisis. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
A Bhutanese woman shows the ink mark on her index finger after casting her vote in the national elections in Deothang, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. The landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range is electing a new Parliament, with the parties in contest promising to fix the nation’s economic crisis. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
A security person guards a room where electronic voting machines are kept inside a polling station on the eve of general election at Norphung village in Bhutan, Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
A security person guards a room where electronic voting machines are kept inside a polling station on the eve of general election at Norphung village in Bhutan, Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
An election official shows a ballot paper displayed outside a polling station on the eve of general election in Deothang in Bhutan, Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
An election official shows a ballot paper displayed outside a polling station on the eve of general election in Deothang in Bhutan, Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Bhutanese women stand in a queue to cast their votes at a polling centre during general election in Rikhey village, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. Voters in Bhutan, a landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range with a population of around 800,000 people, are casting ballots to elect a new Parliament. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Bhutanese women stand in a queue to cast their votes at a polling centre during general election in Rikhey village, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. Voters in Bhutan, a landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range with a population of around 800,000 people, are casting ballots to elect a new Parliament. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Election officials sort postal ballots ahead of Tuesday’s general election at the Deputy Commissioners office in Samdrup Jongkhar, Bhutan, Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Election officials sort postal ballots ahead of Tuesday’s general election at the Deputy Commissioners office in Samdrup Jongkhar, Bhutan, Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Bhutanese people in traditional attire queue up to cast their votes in the national elections in Deothang, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. The landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range is electing a new Parliament, with the parties in contest promising to fix the nation’s economic crisis. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Bhutanese people in traditional attire queue up to cast their votes in the national elections in Deothang, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. The landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range is electing a new Parliament, with the parties in contest promising to fix the nation’s economic crisis. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
A Bhutanese man in traditional attire walks to cast his vote in the national elections in Deothang, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. The landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range is electing a new Parliament, with the parties in contest promising to fix the nation’s economic crisis. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
A Bhutanese man in traditional attire walks to cast his vote in the national elections in Deothang, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. The landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range is electing a new Parliament, with the parties in contest promising to fix the nation’s economic crisis. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
A polling official puts ink mark on the index finger of a voter before she cast her vote in the national elections in Deothang, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. The landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range is electing a new Parliament, with the parties in contest promising to fix the nation’s economic crisis. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
A polling official puts ink mark on the index finger of a voter before she cast her vote in the national elections in Deothang, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. The landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range is electing a new Parliament, with the parties in contest promising to fix the nation’s economic crisis. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Election officials sort postal ballots ahead of Tuesday’s general election at the Deputy Commissioners office in Samdrup Jongkhar, Bhutan, Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Election officials sort postal ballots ahead of Tuesday’s general election at the Deputy Commissioners office in Samdrup Jongkhar, Bhutan, Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
A Bhutanese villager heads to cast his vote at a polling centre during in Martang village, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. Voters in Bhutan, a landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range with a population of around 800,000 people, are casting ballots to elect a new Parliament. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
A Bhutanese villager heads to cast his vote at a polling centre during in Martang village, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. Voters in Bhutan, a landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range with a population of around 800,000 people, are casting ballots to elect a new Parliament. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Polling officials unseal an electronic voting machine to count votes after general election in Deothang, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. Voters in Bhutan, a landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range with a population of around 800,000 people, are casting ballots to elect a new Parliament. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Polling officials unseal an electronic voting machine to count votes after general election in Deothang, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. Voters in Bhutan, a landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range with a population of around 800,000 people, are casting ballots to elect a new Parliament. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Security officers and polling officers wait for voters at a polling centre in Martang village, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. Voters in Bhutan, a landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range with a population of around 800,000 people, are casting ballots to elect a new Parliament. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Security officers and polling officers wait for voters at a polling centre in Martang village, Bhutan, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024. Voters in Bhutan, a landlocked country in the eastern Himalayan mountain range with a population of around 800,000 people, are casting ballots to elect a new Parliament. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
THIMPHU, Bhutan (AP) — The People’s Democratic Party won the most seats in Bhutan’s parliamentary elections Tuesday and will form the new government as residents hope politicians make good on promises to fix the economic crisis in the Himalayan nation.
Latest figures from the Bhutan Broadcasting Service, a national broadcaster, showed the PDP had won 30 of the 47 National Assembly seats to return to power, and the Bhutan Tendrel Party had secured 17.
It was the country’s fourth general elections since its transformation from a traditional monarchy to a parliamentary form of government in 2008.
The Election Commission of Bhutan will make its final declaration Wednesday.
Candidates on Tuesday’s ballot represented only the PDP of former Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and the BTP led by former civil servant Pema Chewang. A primary round of voting in November eliminated three other parties, including the ruling center-left Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa party.
Bhutan is located between China and India, with both neighbors vying for influence in the landlocked nation of around 800,000 people.
The severe economic crisis played a major role in campaigning. According to the World Bank, Bhutan’s economy grew at a rate of 1.7% over the past five years. With unemployment a chronic problem, an exodus of young people in search of higher education and jobs abroad is undermining the country’s economic potential.
In a bid to overcome the economic challenges, Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck announced in December plans for a megacity in Gelephu, a town on the border with the northeastern Indian state of Assam, that will have zero-carbon industries with foreign investment.
King Wangchuk said the city-building would be mindful of Bhutanese culture and tradition and will blend with the Himalayan ecosystem. He met with top Indian business leaders who are expected to invest in the project. Construction will take place in a specially administered zone in Bhutan that has investment-friendly laws.
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Hussain reported from Guwahati, India.