Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, April 9: Ahead of the final election for the 18th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile on April 26, the Chinese state-owned outlet Global Times on Tuesday dismissed the preliminary phase of the 2026 Tibetan general elections conducted by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) as an “institutional illusion” and branded it a “separatist” exercise lacking legitimacy.
The state mouth-piece publication described the Tibetan elections as an “election without land,” citing Chinese experts who argued that the democratic process in exile is artificially sustained by “separatist groups” to maintain political relevance. It further claimed that the elections lack any legal or institutional foundation.
The report also alleged that the CTA’s functioning heavily depends on external support, particularly from Western governments, pointing to U.S. financial assistance amounting to $23 million. It portrayed the Tibetan administration as lacking genuine autonomy and dismissed its governance structure as externally driven.
Additionally, the article highlighted what it termed “limited voter participation” and internal divisions among Tibetans in exile. It selectively cited the preliminary voter turnout, approximately 56%, as evidence of declining credibility, comparing it unfavourably to the 2021 elections. The report framed this as indicative of a weakening public mandate and intensifying internal “power struggles.”
The re-election of incumbent President Penpa Tsering was also downplayed, despite his securing a decisive 61.025% of the total votes cast in the preliminary round.
Notably, the report did not provide comparative benchmarks from other democratic systems to substantiate its claims regarding legitimacy or voter turnout. Observers have pointed out the irony in such criticism, noting that citizens in China do not directly elect their top leadership. Real political authority rests with the Chinese Communist Party, where Xi Jinping holds paramount power in his capacity as Party General Secretary rather than solely as state president.
The final phase of voting for the 18th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile will take place on April 26, 2026, across Tibetan communities worldwide. The preliminary elections for both the President and parliamentary representatives were successfully conducted on February 1, 2026, spanning 27 countries.
The CTA’s Election Commission has expressed concern over relatively low participation during the preliminary phase. Of the 91,042 registered voters, 51,140 cast their ballots. Chief Election Commissioner Lobsang Yeshi urged the need for stronger civic engagement, particularly among Tibetan students in colleges, many of whom were unable to participate in the initial round. He urged the younger generation to take an active role in the upcoming final election.
The illegitimate CCP regime never loses an opportunity to disparage and demean the Dalai Lama or the Tibetan Government in exile! Our country/land has been illegally occupied by communist China. However, we have never accepted Chinese sovereignty over our country nor we have relinquished the ownership of our country. TIBET BELONGS ONLY TO TIBETANS! As for the legitimacy, the present Tibetan Government in Dharamsala is the continuation of the legitimate Government of Tibet that has existed from the time of the 5th Dalai Lama in 1642! Successive Dalai Lama’s have been both the Temporal and spiritual leaders of Tibet for close to four hundred years! Besides, the Tibetan Government in India represents the genuine aspirations of the six million Tibetans. That too makes it the legitimate Government of Tibet. On the other hand, the colonial puppet outfit in occupied Tibet is illegitimate because it doesn’t represent the legitimate aspirations of the Tibetan people. It is an out fit to subjugate the Tibetans in occupied Tibet! One hundred and fifty seven Tibetans have self-immolated to reject Chinese colonial rule in occupied Tibet since 2009! It clearly shows the desperation of the Tibetan people under Chinese brutal occupation! When Tibet was independent, people from neighbouring countries used to travel to Tibet and there was brisk trade between Nepalese, Bhutanese, Sikkimese and Mongolians. Tibetans would freely travel to Nepal, Bhutan and India for annual pilgrimage or business ventures. However, ever since Tibet was occupied by communist China in 1949/50, TIBET HAS BECOME A VAST CONCENTRATION CAMP! No one is allowed out and no one is allowed into the country. Human rights organisations have labelled it as the MOST RESTRICTED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD! All these demonstrate that the Chinese puppet outfit in occupied Tibet is an instrument of oppression and thus against the interest and wellbeing of the Tibetan people. In fact the CCP itself is an illegitimate outfit. It has no mandate to rule China! It has imposed itself on the Chinese people just like the Taliban did in Afghanistan! The CCP has monopolised all the power for itself and rules China and all occupied territories with the barrel of the gun!
TIBET WAS NEVER PART OF CHINA! TIBET WAS RULED BY ITS OWN RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND SOMETIMES LAY LEADERS THROUGH OUT ITS HISTORY. TIBET NEVER PAID A CENT OF TAX TO CHINA NOR IT WAS RULED BY ANY CHINESE DYNASTY FOR ONE SINGLE DAY! CHINESE CLAIMS OVER TIBET ARE TOTAL DISTORTIONS AND FIGMENT OF THEIR IMAGINATION! THEY DO NOT HAVE A SHRED OF TRUTH IN THEM! THEREFORE, THE TIBETAN ANTI-COLONIAL MOVEMENT CANNOT BE SEPARATIST WHEN TIBET WAS NEVER PART OF CHINA IN THE FIRST PLACE! As for foreign aid, the CCP was militarily supported and bankrolled by Josef Stalin’s USSR! It copied everything from the Bolshevik movement and the CCP’s first constitution was written in Russian! Who is calling the kettle black?