Guatemala

Congress of the Republic

Political system Political systems: Presidential, Parliamentary, Presidential-Parliamentary, Monarchy, Communist, Transitional.
Presidential system
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Structure of parliament Structure of parliament: Unicameral, bicameral
Unicameral
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IPU membership Current membership status
Yes
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Historical data on women

Data on women’s right to vote and to stand for election, the date at which the first woman entered parliament, and female Heads of State or Government

Women's suffrage

Women’s right to vote
Women’s right to vote Year in which women obtained the right to vote
1946
National or local Suffrage: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage Suffrage: Restricted or Universal
Restricted
Notes Suffrage: Additional Notes on right of suffrage
According to the Electoral Law of 1946, suffrage was optional and secret for women, but obligatory for men. The 1956 Constitution made the vote obligatory for all literate women but maintained discrimination against illiterate women in that they could not stand for election. The 1965 Constitution extended the right to be elected to all citizens, yet the vote was still not compulsory for illiterate women.
Women’s right to vote Year in which women obtained the right to vote
1985
National or local Suffrage: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage Suffrage: Restricted or Universal
Universal
Notes Suffrage: Additional Notes on right of suffrage
The Constitution of 1985 extended the right to vote to all citizens and established equality between the sexes.
Women’s right to stand for election
Women's right to stand for election Year in which women obtained the right to stand for election
1946
National or local Stand for Election: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage Stand for Election : Restricted or Universal
Restricted
Detail of restrictions Stand for Election: Restrictions detail
Women must be literate in order to stand for election
Women's right to stand for election Year in which women obtained the right to stand for election
1965
National or local Stand for Election: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage Stand for Election : Restricted or Universal
Universal
Notes Stand for Election: Additional Notes on right to stand for election
According to the Electoral Law of 1946, suffrage was optional and secret for women, but obligatory for men. The 1956 Constitution made the vote obligatory for all literate women but maintained discrimination against illiterate women in that they could not stand for election. The 1965 Constitution extended the right to be elected to all citizens, yet the vote was still not compulsory for illiterate women.
First woman in parliament
First woman in parliament Year in which first woman entered parliament
1954
First woman speaker
Year of first woman speaker Date at which, for the first time in the country's parliamentary history, a woman became Presiding Officer of Parliament or of one of its Houses.
1991