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1999
n 1999, the government lifted a ban on television and the Internet, making Bhutan one of the last countries to introduce television. -
2005
A new constitution was presented in early 2005. -
2005
In December 2005, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck announced that he would abdicate the throne in his son's favor in 2008. -
2006
On 14 December 2006, he announced that he would be abdicating immediately. This was followed by the first national parliamentary elections in December 2007 and March 2008. -
2007-2013
lections for the upper house (National Council) were held on 31 December 2007 and on 23 April 2013, while elections for the lower house, the 47-seat National Assembly, were held on 24 March 2008 and 13 July 2013. Two political parties, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) headed by Sangay Ngedup, and the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa -
2008
In 2008, Bhutan made the transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy and held its first general election.[13 -
2010
Bhutan is a member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and hosted SAARC's sixteenth summit in April 2010.