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.
16.06.2019
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.
160
Scope of elections Scope of elections: Full renewal; Partial renewal.
Full renewal

Candidates

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.
26

Voter turnout

Registration Number of people registered to vote
8,086,526
Votes Number of people who actually voted
5,061,932
Voter turnout The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of people who actually voted by the number of people registered to vote
62.6%

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 160-member Congress of the Republic (up from 158). The National Unity of Hope (UNE) party became the largest party, with 58 seats. The Let’s Go for a Different Guatemala (Vamos), a conservative party led by Mr. Alejandro Giammattei, came a distant second, with 16 seats. In the presidential elections, held in parallel with the parliamentary elections, no candidate secured the required majority. In the run-off elections held on 11 August, Mr. Giammattei (Vamos), former prisons director, defeated former First Lady Sandra Torres (UNE), pledging to become the President “close to the people”. Mr. Giammattei is due to take over as President on 14 January 2020, succeeding Mr. Jimmy Morales, who is constitutionally barred from serving a second term.

The 2019 elections were held against the backdrop of a migration crisis and the President’s decision to shut down the UN-backed anti-corruption agency, the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala, known as CICIG. The major parties promised to end poverty and improve education. Some 15 parties also said they would abolish the CICIG. The Seed Movement (Semilla, led by Attorney General Thelma Aldana, who has worked closely with the CICIG) said it would strengthen the CICIG and make government more efficient and transparent. Ms. Aldana, a leading presidential hopeful, was barred from running for the presidential elections (see note) along with another leading presidential candidate, Ms. Zury Ríos, who was barred under the constitutional provision which prevents the close relatives of coup leaders from serving as president.

Note:
Ms. Aldana was initially barred from the race in March 2019 when an arrest warrant against her was issued, accusing her of alleged illegal hiring, embezzlement and tax fraud – allegations that she denied. In May, the Constitutional Court reaffirmed her expulsion from the presidential elections.
Number of parties winning seats The number of parties which won parliamentary representation in the given election.
19
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.
73.08%
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.
33.75%
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
National Unity of Hope Party (UNE) 54
Let’s Go for a Different Guatemala (Vamos) 16
Nationalist Change Union (UCN) 12
VALOR 9
National Welfare (BIEN) 8
National Convergence Front (FCN NACION) 8
Seed Movement (Semilla) 7
All together for Guatemala (TODOS) 7
Vision with Values (VIVA) 7
Commitment, Renewal and Order (CREO) 6
Humanist Party of Guatemala (PHG) 6
WINAQ 4
Victory (Victoria) 3
Citizen’s Prosperity (PC) 3
Unionist Party (UNIONISTA) 3
Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG MAIZ) 3
National Advancement Party (PAN) 2
Podemos 1
Movement for the Liberation of Peoples (MLP) 1
Members elected, by sex
Number of men elected
129
Number of women elected
31
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.
19.38%
Other notes
Unofficial results.

*In accordance with the 2016 amendments to the Electoral and Political Parties Law, the 2019 elections were held in June instead of September.
Sources
Congress of the Republic (30.07.2019)
https://resultados2019.tse.org.gt/201901/
https://republica.gt/
IFES
New York Times
BBC
BBC Monitoring
AFP
http://awverify.tse.org.gt/images/descargas/decreto262016.pdf
Women Directly Elected
31

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.
129
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.
31
First-term parliamentarians The number of members who are assuming their parliamentary mandate for the first time following the election or renewal, regardless of their mode of designation.
105
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.
14.01.2020
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.
Allan Estuardo Rodríguez Reyes (Male)
Political party
Let’s Go for a Different Guatemala (Vamos)
Date of election
14.01.2020