Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
National Assembly
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Political system
Political systems: Presidential, Parliamentary, Presidential-Parliamentary, Monarchy, Communist, Transitional.
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Presidential system
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Structure of parliament
Structure of parliament: Unicameral, bicameral
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Unicameral
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IPU membership
Current membership status
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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
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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.
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06 Dec 2015
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Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature
Date at which the previous legislature (elected at the previous elections) was dissolved.
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05 Jan 2016
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Timing of election
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry; Early elections; Delayed elections
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Upon normal expiry
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Expected date of next elections
The expected date at which the next elections should take place, based on law or practice.
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31 Dec 2025
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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.
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167
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Scope of elections
Scope of elections: Full renewal; Partial renewal.
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Full renewal
Candidates
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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.
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96
Notes: 96 organizations, including 29 indigenous groups. Most organizations were a part of the MUD or the PSUV.
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Total number of candidates
Total number of people who registered as candidates for election. Does not include people who stood as candidates to become "substitute members".
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1,799
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Number of male candidates
Number of male candidates
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1,128
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Number of female candidates
Number of female candidates
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671
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Percentage of women candidates
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women candidates by the total number of candidates.
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37.3%
Voter turnout
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Registered voters
Number of people registered to vote
View field in the data dictionary -
19,504,106
Results
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About the election
Short description of the context and results of the election.
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The centre-right Democratic Unity Roundtable alliance (MUD) took just over two-thirds of seats (see note 1) in the 167-member National Assembly, ahead of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), the leftist government in power since 1999. The elections were held amid economic crisis, with the inflation rate reaching nearly 160%. During the election campaign, the PSUV ran on the government record. The MUD promised to put an end to nationalizations and to encourage foreign investment.
The 2015 elections were the first to be held since the death of President Hugo Chávez in March 2013. Vice President Nicolás Maduro officially succeeded him one month later, after narrowly defeating Mr. Henrique Capriles (MUD) in the snap presidential elections. The gender parity law was applied for the first time to the 2015 elections (see note 2). However, only 24 women (14.37%) were elected in 2015, down from 28 women of 165 members (16.97%) in 2010, because the law came into force in June 2015 after several parties had already completed their party primaries for the 2015 elections.
Note 1:
The MUD won 109 seats. In addition, three indigenous representatives were allied to the MUD, giving it 112 seats in all. The MUD was established by 11 opposition parties prior to the 2010 parliamentary elections. Its leadership includes several key opposition figures, including Mr. Capriles (Governor of Miranda), Mr. Antonio Ledezma (Mayor of Caracas, arrested in February 2015 over an alleged coup plot against President Maduro), Ms. María Corina Machado (former MP indicted in December 2014 for an alleged plot to kill the President) and Mr. Leopoldo López (opposition leader, jailed in 2014 for incitement to violence). Mr. López' wife, Ms. Lilian Tintori, became a figurehead for the MUD's 2015 election campaign.
Note 2:
The list of titular and substitute candidates under both systems (majority and proportional representation) must meet a 50 per cent quota with a zebra-system (alternation between men and women). In cases where a party cannot ensure parity, the proportion of its candidates of either sex cannot be lower than 40% or higher than 60%. However, the law came into force in June 2015 after several parties had already completed their party primaries for the 2015 elections.
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Number of parties winning seats
The number of parties which won parliamentary representation in the given election.
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2
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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.
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2.1%
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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.
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65.3%
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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.
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Not applicable
Parties or coalitions winning seats
| Political group | Total |
|---|---|
| Democratic Unity Roundtable alliance (MUD) | 109 |
| United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) | 55 |
Members elected, by sex
- Number of men elected
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143
- Number of women elected
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24
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Percentage of women elected
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women elected by the number of seats filled.
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14.4%
- Women Directly Elected
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24
- Other notes on the elections
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Number of parties winning seats: 2 coalitions. In addition, three representatives of indigenous people of Venezuela were elected.
- Sources
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National Assembly (18.12.2015, 01.01.2017)
Consejo Nacional Electoral
El Universal
Tele Sur
New legislature
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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.
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136
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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.
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24
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Percentage of women after the election
The percentage is calculated by dividing the total number of women in this parliament/chamber by the current number of members.
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15.0%
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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.
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No information available
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Percentage of first-term parliamentarians
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of first-term parliamentarians by the number of seats at stake in the election.
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No information available
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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.
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05 Jan 2016
First Speaker of the new legislature
- Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature
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Henry Ramos Allup (Male)
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Political party
The political party to which the Speaker belonged to at the moment of the election. In some parliaments, the Speaker suspends or relinquishes their party membership during their term in office and is considered as an independent member.
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Democratic Unity Roundtable alliance (MUD)