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Bhutan
Women in decision-making positions
13%
Members of local deliberative bodies are women (187 elected women)
No woman is Head of Government
17%
Parliamentarians are women
10%
Ministers are women

Government organization

Bhutan is a unitary monarchy with two spheres of government: central and local.

One tier of central government and two tiers of local government: districts and village blocs or urban municipalities.
Central government
  • Head of State: The Monarch (Druk Gyalpo) assumes the role hereditarily.
  • Head of Government: The Prime Minister is the leader or nominee of the party that wins the majority of seats in the National Assembly, and is appointed by the Monarch.
  • Legislative body: The Parliament is a bicameral legislature, with an upper house (the National Council) and a lower house (the National Assembly). The National Council is composed of five members appointed by the Monarch and 20 members directly elected by voters. The National Assembly is composed of members directly elected by voters.
  • Executive body: The Council of Ministers (Lhengye Zhungtshog) is headed by the Prime Minister and consists of ministers appointed by the Monarch, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, from amongst the members of the National Assembly.
Local government
  • Organization: Local government is organized into two tiers, consisting of an upper tier of the 20 district-level local government units (Dzongkhag Tshogdu) and a lower tier of the 205 village block-level local government units (Gewog Tshogde) and the four urban municipalities (Thromde Tshogde).
  • By law, an urban municipality is the main city in each district; however, there are only four urban municipalities established in practice. There are also peripheral cities in each district (Dzongkhag Yenlag Thromde) which are established by law but not yet established in practice.
  • Competencies: Local government is responsible for establishing an annual budget, formulating a five-year plan for the locality,  and enforcing rules for protecting the health, safety, and wellbeing of the people of the locality.
  • Ministerial oversight: Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs (Department of Local Governance)

Overview of local government

Local government composition
District-level government (Dzongkhag Tshogdu)

Deliberative body: The district council is composed of the chairperson and deputy chairperson of each village block council, one elected representative from each urban municipality, and one elected representative from each peripheral city. A chairperson is elected by and from the district council to preside over it; the chairperson is not vested with any executive powers.

Executive body: The Dzongdag is the chief executive of the district level of government; the Dzongdag is appointed by the Monarch on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.

Urban municipalities (Thromde Tshogde)

Deliberative body: The municipal council is composed of 7-10 elected members, including the chairperson (Thrompon). The chairperson is elected to preside over the municipal council; the chairperson is also vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The chairperson is the executive of the urban municipality.

Village block-level government (Gewog Tshogde)

Deliberative body: The village block council is composed of 5-8 elected members, including the chairperson (Gup) and deputy chairperson (Mangmi). The chairperson is elected to preside over the village block council; the chairperson is also vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The chairperson is the executive of the village block level of government.

Local government elections
Electoral system

Electoral system for local deliberative bodies: majority/plurality (first-past-the-post)

  • Each village block and each urban municipality are divided into single-member constituencies for the purpose of local deliberative body elections.  The candidate who has secured the highest number of valid votes in the constituency is elected.
  • District-level councillors are indirectly elected by and from the urban municipalities and village block councillors.

Electoral system for local executive bodies: majority/plurality (first-past-the-post)

  • In village blocks and urban municipalities, chairpersons and deputy chairpersons are directly elected by voters; the territory of each village block and urban municipality forms a single ward for the purpose of these elections.
  • In Districts, the chairpersons and deputy chairpersons are elected by and from the council. The member who receives the highest number of votes shall be elected.

Sources: Election Act, 2008, articles 3, 14, 19 and 461, Local Government Act of 2009 (amended through 2014), articles 66 and 67.

Quotas
  • Gender quotas: No
  • Additional quotas: No
Term of elections
  • Term length: 5 years
  • Last local elections: 2021
  • Next local elections: 2026
Electoral management body

Election Commission of Bhutan

National legal framework on local government
National legal framework
  • Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan, 2008;
  • Local Government Rules and Regulations, 2012 (amended through 2022);
  • Local Government Act, 2009 (amended through 2014);
  • Election Act, 2008.
Constitutional provisions on local government

There are constitutional provisions that establish local government in Bhutan. According to Article 22 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan of 2008, “power and authority shall be decentralized and devolved to elected Local Governments to facilitate the direct participation of the people in the development and management of their own social, economic, and environmental well-being. Bhutan shall have Local Governments in each of the twenty Dzongkhags comprising the Dzongkhag Tshogdu, Gewog Tshogde and Thromde Tshogde. Local Governments shall ensure that local interests are taken into account in the national sphere of governance by providing a forum for public consideration on issues affecting the local territory. The objectives of Local Government shall be to: provide democratic and accountable government for local communities, ensure the provision of services to communities in a sustainable manner, encourage the involvement of communities and community organizations in matters of local governance, and discharge any other responsibilities as may be prescribed by law made by Parliament.”

Legislative provisions on local government

Parliament is responsible for establishing the national legal framework on local government. The key piece of legislation that regulates local government is the Local Government Act of 2009 (amended through 2014), which establishes the elections, powers and functions, and autonomies of local government in Bhutan.

Sources:

1. UN Women: Data on share of women in local government as of 1 January 2023.

2. UN Women: Information on Head of State and Government as of 3 October 2023.

3. Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU): Data on share of women in the single/lower chamber of parliament as of 1 January 2023.

4. IPU and UN Women: Data on share of women in ministerial positions as of 1 January 2023.

5. Information on local government organization as of 1 January 2023.