Guatemala

Congress of the Republic

Election results

Data on parliamentary elections, including the background, candidates, voter turnout, results and the formation of the new legislature. By default the latest election results are displayed. Select a date to view results from previous elections

Background

Election date(s) The date when elections started and ended for directly or indirectly elected parliaments/chambers. The date of appointments for appointed parliaments/chambers.
06.09.2015
Timing of election Timing of election: Upon normal expiry; Early elections; Delayed elections
Upon normal expiry
Expected date of next elections The expected date at which the next elections should take place, based on law or practice.
30.06.2027
Number of seats at stake Number of seats contested at the elections. Where the parliament/chamber is fully renewed, this number is usually identical to the statutory number of members. Where the parliament/chamber is partially renewed or appointed, the number of seats at stake is usually less than the total number of members.
158
Scope of elections Scope of elections: Full renewal; Partial renewal.
Full renewal

Candidates

The number of candidates is not available from authoritative sources.
The number of women candidates is not available from authoritative sources.
Number of parties contesting the election This field may include either the number of parties contesting the election, or the number of coalitions/electoral alliance.
17

Voter turnout

Registration Number of people registered to vote
7,556,873
Votes Number of people who actually voted
5,375,103
Voter turnout The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of people who actually voted by the number of people registered to vote
71.13%

Results

About the election Short description of the context and results of the election.
As in the previous elections, no party won an outright majority in the 158-member Congress of the Republic. According to unofficial results, Democratic Renewed Liberty (LIDER), led by Mr. Manuel Baldizon, came first, taking 45 seats. Mr. Baldizon had previously lost to Mr. Otto Perez Molina in a presidential run-off ballot in 2011. LIDER then went on to support President Molina in 2011–2015 legislature. National Unity of Hope (UNE), led by Ms. Sandra Torres Casanova (ex-wife of former President Álvaro Colom), followed with 32 seats. Three other parties took more than ten seats: Everyone Together for Guatemala (TODOS), led by former President of the central bank of Guatemala, Lizardo Sosa; the Patriotic Party (PP), established by Mr. Molina in 2001; and the National Convergence Front (FCN NACION), led by former actor Jimmy Morales. During the election campaigning, many candidates promised measures to tackle corruption and crime, and to take action on tax reform.

The 2015 elections followed the resignation of President Otto Perez Molina on 3 September over a corruption scandal. Vice-President Alejandro Maldonado was sworn in as the new President later on the same day to serve out the rest of Mr. Molina's term. The 79-year-old former Constitutional Court judge had become Vice-President in May 2015 when the then Vice-President, Roxana Baldetti, resigned due to the same scandal. Ms. Baldetti has been in custody since that time and maintains her innocence. On 17 September, Mr. Juan Alfonso Fuentes Soria was sworn in as the new Vice-President.

In the presidential elections, held in parallel with parliamentary elections, no candidate secured the required majority. In the run-off ballot held on 25 October, Mr. Morales defeated Ms. Torres. Mr. Maldonado is due to hand over power to the new President on 14 January 2016.
Number of parties winning seats The number of parties which won parliamentary representation in the given election.
13
Percentage of parties winning seats The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of parties which won parliamentary representation by the number of parties contesting the election.
76.47%
Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of seats won by the largest party by the number of seats at stake in the election.
28.48%
Alternation of power after elections The results of the elections caused a change in the government. "Not applicable" to countries using the presidential system when parliamentary and presidential elections are held separately, to countries in political transition or where there is no party system.
Yes
Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political groups winning seats breakdown
Political group Total
Democratic Renewed Liberty (LIDER) 45
National Unity of Hope Party (UNE) 32
All together for Guatemala (TODOS) 18
Patriotic Party (PP) 18
National Convergence Front (FCN NACION) 11
Encounter for Guatemala (EG) 7
Nationalist Change Union (UCN) 7
Commitment, Renewal and Order (CREO) - Unionist Party (UNIONISTA) 5
Vision with Values (VIVA) 5
Convergence 3
National Advancement Party (PAN) 3
Force (FUERZA) 2
WINAQ- Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG) 2
Members elected, by sex
Number of men elected
136
Number of women elected
22
Percentage of women elected The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women elected in the election and the number of seats at stake at the election.
13.92%
Sources
Congress of the Republic (01.12.2015)
Tribunal Supremo Electoral
International Foundation for Electoral Systems
BBC
The New York Times
Women Directly Elected
22

New legislature

Total number of men after the election The total number of male parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
136
Total number of women after the election The total number of female parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
22
Date of the first session The date when the newly elected parliament/chamber was convened for the first time. It may be different from the date when members were sworn in.
14.01.2016
First Speaker of the new legislature
First Speaker of the new legislature First name of the Speaker of the new legislature following the election or renewal.
Mario Taracena Díaz-Sol (Male)
Political party
National Unity of Hope Party (UNE)
Date of election
14.01.2016