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Thimphu: The tiny Buddhist state of Bhutan was set to become the world’s newest democracy as citizens went to the polls to bring an end to absolute rule.
Twenty-eight-year-old King Jigme Khesar, who is hugely popular here, urged his initially reluctant subjects to vote in the national elections, which will transfer power to government.
The transition will be gradual, however. Just two parties have been allowed to compete, both led by former prime ministers and from the king’s trusted inner circle.
Bhutan, which measures the contentedness of its citizens through a Gross National Happiness index, was ranked as the eighth happiest country in the world, according to a 2006 study.
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