Politics of Bolivia

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Bolivia

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Bolivia

President Evo Morales Vice President Álvaro García Linera National Congress Senate Chamber of Deputies Political parties Elections President 2005 Congress 2005 Referendum 2008 Vote of confidence 2008 Departments Provinces Municipalities Cantons Human rights Bolivian Gas War 2005 Protests Foreign relations Foreign aid

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The politics of Bolivia takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the president is head of state, head of government and head of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

Contents 1 Overview 2 Executive branch 3 Legislative branch 4 Political parties and elections 5 Social movements 6 Judicial branch 7 Local government 8 International affairs 9 References 10 See also

La Paz is the political capital of Bolivia.

[edit] Overview

Bolivia's 1967 constitution, revised in 1994, provides for balanced executive, legislative, and judicial powers. The traditionally strong executive, however, tends to overshadow the National Congress. The judiciary, consisting of the Supreme Court and departmental and lower courts, has long been riddled with corruption and inefficiency. Through revisions to the constitution in 1994, and subsequent laws, the government has initiated potentially far-reaching reforms in the judicial system and processes.

Hugo Banzer Suárez was elected president in 1997. No candidate received a majority of the popular vote, but Banzer won a congressional runoff election on 5 August, 1997 after forming a "megacoalition", Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada was chosen president by Congress, winning an 84-43 vote against contestant Evo Morales. Following the resignation of the elected 18, 2005, the Socialist indigenous leader, Evo Morales, was elected president.

[edit] Executive branch

Main office holders

Office	Name	Party	Since
President	Evo Morales	Movement Towards Socialism (MAS)	22 January 2006
Vice President	Álvaro García Linera	Movement for Socialism (MAS)	22 January 2006

The president is elected to a five-year term by popular vote. Elected president Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada resigned in October 2003, and was substituted by vice-president Carlos Mesa. Mesa was in turn replaced by chief justice of the Supreme Court Eduardo Rodríguez in June 2005. Six months later, on December 18, 2005, the Socialist indigenous leader,

[edit] Legislative branch

The bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consists of the Chamber of Senators (Cámara de Senadores) (27 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados) (130 seats; 68 are directly elected from their districts and 62 are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms).

[edit] Political parties and elections

e•d Summary of the 18 December 2005 Bolivian presidential election results

Candidates	Nominating parties	Votes	%
Juan Evo Morales Ayma Álvaro García Linera	Movement Toward Socialism	1,544,374	53.7
Jorge Fernando "Tuto" Quiroga Ramírez María Renée de los Ángeles Duchén Cuéllar	Democratic and Social Power	821,745	28.6
Samuel Jorge Doria Medina Auza Carlos Fernando Dabdoub Arrien	National Unity Front	224,090	7.8
Michiaki Nagatani Morishita Guillermo Luis Bedregal Gutiérrez	Revolutionary Nationalist Movement	185,859	6.5
Felipe Quispe Huanca Camila Choqueticlla	Indigenous Pachakuti Movement	61,948	2.2
Gildo Angulo Cabrera Gonzalo José Silvestre Quiroga Soria	New Republican Force	19,667	0.7
Eliceo Rodríguez Pari Rodolfo Antonio Flores Morelli	Agrarian Patriotic Front of Bolivia	8,737	0.3
Néstor García Rojas Teodomiro Rengel Huanca	Social Union of the Workers of Bolivia	7,381	0.3
Total (turnout: 84.5 %)		2,873,801	100.0
Null votes		104,570	3.4
Blank votes		124,027	3.0
Total votes		3,102,417	100.0
Registered voters		3,671,152
Source: CNE

e•d 18 December 2005 National Congress of Bolivia election results

Parties	Votes	%	Deputies	Senators
Movement Toward Socialism (Movimiento al Socialismo)	1,544,374	53.7	72	12
Social and Democratic Power (Poder Democrático y Social, PODEMOS)	821,745	28.6	43	13
National Unity Front (Frente de Unidad Nacional)	224,090	7.8	8	1
Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario)	185,859	6.5	7	1
Indigenous Pachakuti Movement (Movimiento Indígena Pachakuti)	61,948	2.2	-	-
New Republican Force (Nueva Fuerza Republicana)	19,667	0.7	-	-
Agrarian Patriotic Front of Bolivia (Frente Patriótico Agropecuario de Bolivia)	8,737	0.3	-	-
Social Union of the Workers of Bolivia (Unión Social de los Trabajadores de Bolivia)	7,381	0.3	-	-
Total (turnout: 84.534 %)	2,873,801	100.0	130	27
Null votes	104,570	3.4
Blank votes	124,027	3.0
Total votes	3,102,417	100.0
Registered voters	3,671,152
Source: CNE and Rulers

Other parties include:

• Bolivian Socialist Falange or FSB – Romel Pantoja
• Civic Solidarity Union or UCS – Johnny Fernández
• Free Bolivia Movement or MBL – Franz Barrios
• Marshal of Ayacucho Institutional Vanguard or VIMA – Freddy Zabala
• Movement of the Revolutionary Left or MIR – Jaime Paz Zamora
• Movement Without Fear or MSM – Juan Del Granado
• Nationalist Democratic Action or ADN – Jorge Fernando Quiroga
• Socialist Party or PS – Jeres Justiniano

[edit] Social movements

Some of Bolivia's social movements are:

• Cocalero Groups – Evo Morales
• indigenous organizations
• "El Alto" Social Movements Roberto De La Cruz
• Aymara Indigenous Confederate Movements Felipe Quispe
• "El Alto" FEJUVE Abel Mamani
• labor unions
• Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB – Roman Loayaza
• Autonomic Oriental Party

[edit] Judicial branch

• Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges appointed for 10-year terms by National Congress
• District Courts (one in each department)
• Provincial and local courts (to try minor cases)

[edit] Local government

Bolivia is divided in nine departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Beni, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija. Bolivia's nine departments received greater autonomy under the Administrative Decentralization law of 1995. Departmental autonomy further increased with the first popular elections for departmental governors, known as prefects, on 18 December 2005. Bolivian cities and towns are governed by directly elected mayors and councils. Municipal elections were held on 5 December 2004, with councils elected to five-year terms. The Popular Participation Law of April 1994, which distributes a significant portion of national revenues to municipalities for discretionary use, has enabled previously neglected communities to make striking improvements in their facilities and services.

[edit] International affairs

International organization participation: CAN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

[edit] References

• This article contains material from the CIA World Factbook which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.
• This article contains material from the US Department of State's Background Notes which, as a US government publication, is in the public domain.

[edit] See also

• History of Bolivia
• List of presidents of Bolivia

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