Dalai Lama Plans to Step Down as Tibetan Political Leader

On Thursday, the Dalai Lama announced he plans to formally step down as a political leader.

The move is seen as modernizing the Tibetan government-in-exile in the face of Chinese pressure.

But it still needs to be ratified by the parliament-in-exile based in India on Monday.

[Dalai Lama, Tibetan Spiritual Leader]:
„As early as the 1960s, I have repeatedly stressed that Tibetans need a leader, elected freely by the Tibetan people, to whom I can devolve power. Now, we have clearly reached the time to put this into effect. During the forthcoming eleventh session of the fourteenth Tibetan Parliament in Exile, which begins on 14th March, I will formally propose that the necessary amendments be made to the Charter for Tibetans in Exile, reflecting my decision to devolve my formal authority to the elected leader.“

The Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, now lives in exile in northern India.

The prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile says it’s not clear if the parliament would accept the resignation and warned of a constitutional deadlock.

The Dalai Lama’s announcement also comes as the three main contenders for the new prime minister to be elected later in March. None of them are monks, adding to a sense of further modernization of the exiled movement.

Foto: NTD