Bolivia (Plurinational State of)

Chamber of Senators

Political system: Presidential system
Structure of parliament: Bicameral
IPU membership: Yes

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): 12 Oct 2014
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: No information available
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry
Number of seats at stake: 36
Scope of elections: Full renewal

Candidates

The number of candidates is not available from authoritative sources.: Yes
The number of women candidates is not available from authoritative sources.: Yes

Voter turnout

Registered voters: 5,973,901

Results

About the election: President Evo Morales' Movement for Socialism (MAS-IPSP ) won a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the Plurinational Legislative Assembly. It took 88 seats in the 130-member Chamber of Deputies and 25 in the 36-member Senate. The Democratic Unity coalition (UD) - comprising the Social Democratic Movement (MDS ) and the National Unity Front (UNF) - took 32 seats in the Chamber and nine in the Senate. Following a law passed in 2010, which requires electoral lists to include an equal number of men and women, the 2014 elections resulted in a record number of women - 69 (up from 29) in the Chamber (53.08%) and 17 (up from 15) in the Senate (47.22%). Mr. Morales, who has been President since 2006, was re-elected for a third term (see note).

During the election campaign, the President ran on the government's record, highlighting economic growth and reduced poverty in the country. The MAS-IPSP promised to halve extreme poverty to 9% by 2020. It also promised to call a referendum on reform of the judiciary, though it did not unveil the details. UDC's presidential candidate, Mr. Samuel Doria Medina, proposed to introduce a new subsidy to eradicate extreme poverty. He also promised to restore diplomatic relations with the United States and to withdraw from the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA).

Note:

The Constitution stipulates that the President can serve only two consecutive terms. In April 2013, the Constitutional Court ruled that President would be able to seek re-election in 2014. It stated President Morales' first term did not count since it was shortened due to the 2009 constitutional referendum and subsequent early presidential elections.
Number of parties winning seats: 3
Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition: 69.4%
Alternation of power after elections: No
Number of parties in government: 1
Names of parties in government: Movement for Socialism (MAS-IPSP)

Parties or coalitions winning seats

Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political group	Total
Movement for Socialism (MAS-IPSP)	25
National Unity Front (UNF)	9
Christian Democratic Party (PDC)	2

Members elected, by sex

Number of men elected: 19
Number of women elected: 17
Percentage of women elected: 47.2%
Women Directly Elected: 17
Sources: Plurinational Legislative Assembly (17.11.2014, 19.11.2014, 09.12.2014)

New legislature

Total number of men after the election: 19
Total number of women after the election: 17
Percentage of women after the election: 47.2%
First-term parliamentarians: No information available
Percentage of first-term parliamentarians: No information available
Date of the first session: 21 Jan 2015

First Speaker of the new legislature

Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature: José Alberto Gonzales Samaniego (Male)
Date of birth: 1962
Political party: Movement for Socialism (MAS-IPSP)
Date of election: 21 Jan 2015