King of Bhutan signs 'people's constitution'

The Kingdom of Bhutan has formally adopted a new constitution that transforms it from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy, a move initiated by its royal family. The nation's king, 28-year-old Jigme Keshar Namgyal Wangchuck, was the first to sign the new constitution, followed by the members of the country's first democratically elected National Assembly and National Council.

,,Today, through this, my hand and seal, I affix onto the constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan, the hopes and prayers of my people. This is the people's constitution", Wangchuck said Friday after signing the document in the capital, Thimphu.

,,It is my fervent prayer that through this constitution we will, with our body, speech and mind work with complete commitment and conviction as we strengthen the sovereignty and security of Bhutan", he said in a speech.

The king, who remains the head of state, will continue to have extensive powers but Parliament has the power to impeach him by a two-thirds majority.

The process of limiting the powers of the king and taking the remote, mountainous nation toward parliamentary democracy was started by former King Jigme Singhye Wangchuck, the father of the current monarch, who abdicated in favor of his son in December 2006.

Bhutan held its first national elections in March. "I hope I would be able to fulfill the wishes of the kings and the people as the first democratically elected prime minister of Bhutan", Prime Minister Jigmi Thinley said at the signing of the constitution. © GPD AP