How to follow the upcoming elections in Bhutan from afar

Part of the vast educational campaign to teach Bhutanese about democracy. USA could learn a thing or two…

Coverage of Bhutan’s second-ever Parliamentary elections is far more sophisticated than it was five years ago, when I was lucky enough to be in Thimphu for the first phase of the first-ever elections.

The go-to spot for coverage on the upcoming elections (slated for April 23rd) is the newspaper Kuensel.  

From 2008

Two great stories today: One about a candidate who is walking door-to-door to greet “the people.”  And an editorial about how few women are running for office this time around.

You can also follow along on the Bhutan Broadcasting Service, which even has posted the National Council Debates.  However, for that and some of the other coverage, you’ve got to speak Dzongkha.

There are other good newspapers, too: Bhutan Observer and The Bhutanese.  But for the most radical take on the elections and everything Bhutan that people inside the country can’t see, check out the blocked-in-Bhutan site, Bhutanomics.