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Ballots as resistance: Tibetans-in-exile vote in final parliamentary polls
Tibetans-in-exile vote in the final polls to elect the 18th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile. The ballot features 93 candidates, with 45 to be elected, as polling occurs in Dharamshala and across India, Nepal, Bhutan, and 26 countries worldwide; preliminary polls were held on February 1, and results are due on May 13.
Why It Matters
The electionis framed as a symbol of resilience for the Tibetan diaspora and their continued advocacy for the Tibet cause, contrasting with restrictions on political choice inside Tibet.
Timeline
3 Events
Election results scheduled to be declared
April 26, 2026
The results of the final polls were scheduled to be declared on May 13, 2026.
Final polls underway for the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile
April 26, 2026
Final polls for the 18th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile were conducted on April 26, 2026, with about 91,000 registered voters (56,749 from India, Nepal and Bhutan; 34,293 overseas). 93 candidates contested, with 45 to be elected; polling took place at Dharamshala and multiple locations across India and abroad; and results were scheduled to be declared on May 13, 2026.
Preliminary polls for the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile
February 1, 2026
Preliminary polls for the 18th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile were held on February 1, 2026.