Bhutan Government: From Monarchy to a Democratic Constitutional State

The establishment of the monarchy in 1907 marked a turning point in the history of the Bhutan Government. The nation experienced peace and development under a line of visionary monarchs. The third king, His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, significantly transformed the Bhutan Government by abolishing serfdom, redistributing land, and reforming taxation. He also introduced major executive, legislative, and judicial changes.

His successor, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, further advanced the Bhutan Government by decentralizing power and transferring executive authority to an elected council of ministers in 1998. He also introduced a system allowing the parliament to vote no confidence in the king. In 2001, the Constitution drafting began, and the draft was shared with the public in 2005 through a consultation process led by both the 4th and 5th Kings. This laid the foundation for Bhutan’s shift to a parliamentary democracy.

Today, the Bhutan Government operates under a democratic constitutional monarchy. The king serves as head of state, while the government is elected by the parliament for a five-year term, with the prime minister’s role rotating among ministers. At the local level, the Dzongda serves as the district executive officer, and the gup, elected by the people, heads the gewog. With decentralization, bodies like the Dzongkhag Yargay Tshogdu and the Gewog Yargye Tshogchung now hold full authority over administration, policy, and finance in their regions. The success of Bhutan Government programs now relies heavily on local decision-making and citizen participation.