Bhutan voters go to polls for second time with simple plea: make us happy
Voters in Bhutan braved heavy rain and treacherous mountain paths to cast their ballots yesterday as the "land of the thunder dragon" began electing a government for only the second time.
Wearing traditional dress and sheltering under umbrellas, Bhutanese queued patiently at polling stations in the isolated Himalayan nation in the first round of voting to determine the lower house of parliament.
What we expect is a government that can bring about happiness to the people
"There are so many pledges in their (politicians') manifestos but basically what we expect is a government that can bring about happiness to the people and at the same time economic development," said Chimi Dorji, 35, as he waited to vote in Dopshari village, about an hour-and-a-half drive from the capital Thimphu.
"Without economic prosperity there can't be happiness," he added. Bhutan is the only country in the world to pursue "Gross National Happiness", a development model that measures the mental as well as material well-being of citizens.
Other policies that set the country apart include banning television until 1999 and keeping out mass tourism to shield its Buddhist culture from foreign influence.
While the electorate comprises fewer than 400,000 people, voting is a huge logistical challenge across the rugged country, where democracy was ushered in just five years ago after Bhutan's "dragon kings" ceded absolute power.