2023–24 Bhutanese National Assembly election

2023–24 Bhutanese National Assembly election

30 November 2023 (first round) 9 January 2024 (second round)
All 47 seats in the National Assembly 24 seats needed for a majority
Leader Lotay Tshering Dorji Wangdi Party DNT DPT Last election 54.85%, 30 seats 45.12%, 17 seats Current seats 33 14
Incumbent Prime Minister Lotay Tshering DNT

National Assembly elections will be held in Bhutan on 30 November 2023 and 9 January 2024.

Background

In the 2018 elections, the previously unrepresented Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) won a majority of seats, with their leader Lotay Tshering becoming prime minister.

During the 2018–2023 term, the DNT won four by-elections, retaining the seat of Monggar and winning the seats of Chhoekhor-Tang, Nganglam and Khamdang-Ramjar from Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT), the former two being DPT strongholds that the party had never lost before.

In 2022 and 2023 two new parties were registered to compete in the 2023 elections—Druk Thuendrel Tshogpa and Bhutan Tendrel Party.

In January 2023 Bhutan Kuen-Nyam Party (BKP) deregistered itself following years of low activity and difficulty with funding and finding a new party president. The BKP had come fourth in the 2018 elections.

Electoral system

The 47 members of the National Assembly are elected from single-member constituencies. Primary elections are held in which voters cast votes for parties. The top two parties are then able to field candidates in the main round of voting, in which members are elected using first-past-the-post voting.