Tashi Delek Takes Oath as MP in 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Replacing Ven. Thupten Wangchen

By Tenzin Chokyi

DHARAMSALA 18 May: Tashi Delek was sworn in today as a member of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPIE) representing the Europe and Africa constituency, replacing former MP Ven. Thupten Wangchen, who resigned from his parliamentary post following his appointment as the Representative to the Office of Tibet for Latin America.

The swearing-in ceremony was held at 10:00 a.m. in the Parliament Hall in the presence of Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, Speaker of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile; Dolma Tsering, Deputy Speaker; and members of the Standing Committee of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.

Tashi Delek’s tenure as a member of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile will last only 13 days, as the newly elected members of the 18th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile from the 2026 Tibetan General Election are scheduled to take their oath of office on 31 May, as mandated by the Tibetan Election Commission.

Despite the short duration of his tenure and the limited practical significance of the swearing-in ceremony, the Charter of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile requires that any vacant parliamentary seat be filled by the candidate who secured the highest number of votes among those on the reserve list from the previous election, provided the candidate has obtained the minimum required number of votes. This provision is outlined under Article 57(ii) of the Charter.

Delek, who travelled from Belgium to take the oath, acknowledged the limited practical significance of the ceremony, but maintained that he chose to appear out of respect for and adherence to the Charter and the Tibetan Government-in-Exile.

“Since I was summoned by the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile to take the oath in accordance with the Charter, I felt obliged to appear. Although there is no upcoming parliamentary session and practically no official work remaining for this term, I consciously chose to attend out of respect for and adherence to the rules of our government,” Delek said.

He further noted that, given the limited authority of an exile administration, there would have been little consequence had he chosen not to appear for the oath. Nevertheless, he stressed the importance of upholding and respecting the institutions and rules of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile in order to sustain their legitimacy and functioning.

Tenzin Yangkar, newly elected MP from the Europe and Africa constituency, and re-elected MP Thupten Gyatso will serve as the constituency’s representatives in the 18th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile following the oath-taking ceremony scheduled for 31 May.