Dharamshala, April 26 — More than 91,000 registered Tibetan voters across 27 countries took part in the final round of elections for the 18th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile on April 26. Of 93 candidates contesting, voters will choose 45 members in this decisive phase; roughly 40 percent of those standing are newcomers.
Losang Yeshi, Chief Election Commissioner of the Central Tibetan Administration, described the vote as a reaffirmation of Tibetan aspirations. He said the CTA represents the struggle for freedom and the hopes of Tibetans both in exile and inside Tibet, and that holding these elections counters Chinese claims about the CTA’s legitimacy. “This is a clear message to China that we have not given up,” he said.
Voters in Dharamshala emphasized the election’s symbolic and practical importance. Tenzin Dawa said the parliamentarians speak for Tibetans inside Tibet and carry their cause to the international stage, calling the choice of strong representatives “very crucial” for a community living in exile since 1959. Tenzing Namdol noted the contrast between the freedom to vote in exile and the lack of choice for Tibetans inside Tibet, expressing confidence that the world recognizes Tibet’s true situation and hope for eventual return to their homeland.
The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile serves a five-year term and meets twice yearly. It has 45 seats: 30 representing the three traditional provinces, 10 reserved for five religious traditions, and five for the global diaspora. Based in Dharamshala, the parliament acts as the representative body for roughly 150,000 Tibetans living outside Tibet.
The final results will determine the composition of the 18th assembly as the Tibetan community continues its decades-long effort to maintain political organization and international visibility while advocating for the rights and future of Tibetans at home.
