2016 Central Tibetan Administration general election

Elections for the office of Sikyong (Prime Minister) and the Chitue (Members) of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile were held between October 18, 2015 and March 20, 2016. Tibetans in exile voted for the fourth time their political representative and executive of the Central Tibetan Administration, the self-proclaimed Tibetan government in exile. The election was overseen and organized by the independent CTA agency, Tibetan Election Commission.

2016 Central Tibetan Administration general election
October 18, 2015 (first round)
March 20, 2016 (second round)
Sikyong
 
Candidate Lobsang Sangay Penpa Tsering
Party NDPT NDPT
Popular vote 33,876 24,864
Percentage 57.67% 42.33%
Sikyong before election

Lobsang Sangay
NDPT

 Elected Sikyong

Lobsang Sangay
NDPT

Incumbent Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay[1] ran for re-election, winning with 57.3% of the votes in the second round, over his main rival Speaker of the Parliament in Exile, Penpa Tsering.[2][3] Other candidates were Chairman of the Federation of Tibetan Cooperatives in India, Tashi Wangdu, and former Chinese political prisoner and president of Tibetan Ex-Political Prisoner's Association, Lukar Jam.[1]

For the first time this election showed and proliferation of political parties, something unusual in Tibetan politics.[4] The National Democratic Party, a moderate independent leaning party, has traditionally been the only political party in the Tibetan diaspora. The NDPT endorsed both Sangay and Pempa Tsering for their current offices. The pro-Middle Way Approach Tibetan People's Party endorsed Wangdu[5] and also presented its own candidates for Parliament. The radically separatist Tibetan National Congress endorsed Jam.[6]

Results

Sikyong

The preliminary round of voting for Sikyong was held on 18 October 2015.[7][8][9] Candidates needed to receive at least 33% of the vote in order to be eligible for the final round.[10]

There were six candidates; Lobsang Sangay (incumbent Sikyong, endorsed by the National Democratic Party), Penpa Tsering (Speaker of Parliament, also endorsed by NDPT), Atsok Lukar Jam (former political prisoner and activist, endorsed by Tibetan National Congress), Tashi Wangdu (President of the Federation of Tibetan Cooperatives in India, endorsed by People's Party of Tibet), Tashi Topgyal (independent candidate) and Samdhong Rinpoche. All candidates except Jam (who wants full independence of Tibet from China) supported the Middle Way Approach to Chinese-Tibetan relations. This is the same approach endorsed by the Dalai Lama and seeks to achieve real autonomy for Tibet inside the Chinese territory.[1]

CandidatePartyPreliminary roundFinal round
Votes%Votes%
Lobsang SangayNational Democratic Party30,50866.7133,87657.67
Penpa TseringNational Democratic Party10,73223.4724,86442.33
Lukar Jam AtsokTibetan National Congress2,5575.59
Tashi WangduPeople's Party of Tibet1,8804.11
Tashi TopgyalIndependent380.08
Samdhong RinpocheIndependent180.04
Total45,733100.0058,740100.00
Valid votes58,74098.97
Invalid/blank votes6131.03
Total votes59,353100.00
Registered voters/turnout90,37765.67
Source: CTA[11][12]

References
  1. Tenzin, Pam (16 July 2015). "The Race for Sikyong". Tibet Sun. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  2. "Sikyong 2016: Final round results". Tibet Sun. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  3. "2016 TIBETAN PM (SIKYONG) ELECTIONS RESULTS". Phayul. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  4. "Tibetan Parliament in Exile To See First Ever Opposition Party". The Tibet Post. 18 May 2011. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  5. "Mr Tashi Wangdu - Sikyong 2016". Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  6. "New Party Fuels Debate on Tibet's Political Future". Radio Free Asia. 2013-02-22. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  7. "Exile Tibetan elections: Preliminary round 18 October, final 20 March". Tibet Sun. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  8. "Election Commission Announces Preliminary and Final Election Dates for Sikyong and 16th Tibetan Parliament". June 10, 2015. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  9. "Tibetans Worldwide Hold Preliminary Election for Sikyong and Tibetan Parliament". October 18, 2015. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  10. "Tibetans Vote to Elect Political Leader, Parliamentarians". NDTV. October 18, 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  11. "Election Commission Declares Result of Preliminary Election of Sikyong and Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile". Central Tibetan Administration. 2015-12-04. Archived from the original on 2016-06-04. Retrieved 2017-04-29.
  12. "Final Results of Sikyong and Tibetan Parliamentary Elections Declared". Central Tibetan Administration. 2016-04-27. Retrieved 2017-04-29.
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