Political parties

From Bolivian Politics

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Bolivia has historically had a '''multiparty system'''. Until 2002, the [[Political party system|party system]] was dominated by three to five medium-sized parties. Seats in the [[National Congress]] are (since 1997) elected in a mixed-member proportional [[electoral system]]. Before 2005, no presidential candidate was able to win a simple majority, and [[coalition governments]] were the norm. Only recently, the party system is dominated by two parties: [[MAS]] and [[PODEMOS]].
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All '''political parties''' must register with the [[National Electoral Court]] (CNE). Recent constitutional changes allow [[civic associations]] and indigenous communities to register and run slates of candidates in municipal, departmental, and national elections. Some of the orgaqnizations registered with the CNE are more appropriately considered electoral fronts, electoral alliances, or civic groups; for simplicity, they are all referred to here as "parties."
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All political parties must register with the [[National Electoral Court]] (CNE). Recent constitutional changes allow [[civic associations]] and indigenous communities to register and run slates of candidates in municipal, departmental, and national elections. Some of the "parties" registered with the CNE are more appropriately considered electoral fronts or electoral alliances. For simplicity, they are all referred to here as '''parties'''.
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Bolivia has, for much of its recent post-democratization history,  had a multiparty system. Until 2002, the [[Political party system|party system]] was dominated by three to five medium-sized parties. Seats in the [[National Congress]] are (since 1997) elected in a [[mixed-member proportional]] electoral system. Before 2005, no presidential candidate won a simple majority, and [[coalition governments]] were the norm. Recently, the party system has become dominated by two electoral parties: [[MAS]] and [[PODEMOS]].
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== Classifying Bolivia's political parties ==
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In general, Bolivian political parties are poorly institutionalized and lack clearly specified ideological positions. While there are some ideologically orthodox parties, these have tended to lack electoral success. The general trend is to employ [[populist]] rhetoric and organizational strategies. Nevertheless, there are some basic cleavage structures reflected in the current political paty system.
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== Major parties ==
== Major parties ==
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The following political parties, civic associations, or electoral alliances won seats in the [[2005 general election]] and the [[2006 constituent assembly election]].
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Only four parties won legislative seats in the [[2005 general election]]: [[MAS]], [[PODEMOS]], [[MNR]], and [[UN]]. A total of twenty parties won delegate seats in the [[2006 constituent assembly election]]; some of those parties are only regional parties, running candidates in only one of the country's nine departments.
=== National parties ===
=== National parties ===
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* [[Movimiento de Ia Izquierda Revolucionaria - Nueva Mayoría]] (MIR-NM)
* [[Movimiento de Ia Izquierda Revolucionaria - Nueva Mayoría]] (MIR-NM)
* [[Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario]] (MNR)
* [[Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario]] (MNR)
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* [[Poder Democrático y Social]] (PODEMOS), officially registered as [[Alianza Siglo XXI]] (ASXXI)
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* [[Poder Democrático y Social]] (PODEMOS) — officially registered as [[Alianza Siglo XXI]] (ASXXI)
=== Regional parties ===
=== Regional parties ===
The following parties have presence in only one department.
The following parties have presence in only one department.
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==== La Paz ====
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*'''La Paz'''
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* [[Alianza Social Patriótica]] (ASP)
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** [[Alianza Social Patriótica]] (ASP)
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* [[Movimiento Sin Miedo]] (MSM)
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** [[Movimiento Sin Miedo]] (MSM)
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* [[Plan Progreso]] (PP)
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** [[Plan Progreso]] (PP)
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==== Cochabamba ====
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*'''Cochabamba'''
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* [[Alianza por la Unidad Cochabambina]] (AUN)
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** [[Alianza por la Unidad Cochabambina]] (AUN)
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==== Oruro ====
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*'''Oruro'''
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* [[Movimiento Ciudadano San Felipe de Austria]] (MCSFA)
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** [[Movimiento Ciudadano San Felipe de Austria]] (MCSFA)
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==== Potosí ====
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*'''Potosí'''
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* [[Alianza Social]] (AS)
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** [[Alianza Social]] (AS)
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* [[Movimiento Originario Popular]] (MOP)
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** [[Movimiento Originario Popular]] (MOP)
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==== Tarija ====
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*'''Tarija'''
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* [[Frente Revolucionario de Izquierda]] (FRI)
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** [[Frente Revolucionario de Izquierda]] (FRI)
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==== Santa Cruz ====
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*'''Santa Cruz'''
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* [[Alianza Trabajo, Responsabilidad, Eficiencia y Seguridad]] (Alianza-3)
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** [[Alianza Trabajo, Responsabilidad, Eficiencia y Seguridad]] (Alianza-TRES or A-3)
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* [[Alianza Andrés Ibañez]] (AAI)
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** [[Alianza Andrés Ibañez]] (AAI)
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* [[Autonomía Para Bolivia]] (APB)
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** [[Autonomía Para Bolivia]] (APB)
== Minor parties ==
== Minor parties ==
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* [[Transformación Democrática y Patriótica]] (TRADEPA)
* [[Transformación Democrática y Patriótica]] (TRADEPA)
* [[Unidad Cívica Solidaridad]] (UCS)
* [[Unidad Cívica Solidaridad]] (UCS)
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The following parties did not meet the [[electoral threshold]] in the [[2005 general election]] and lost their registry status.
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== Parties that have lost legal status ==
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The following parties lost their legal status after the [[2006 constituent assembly election]].
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* [[Convergencia Democrática Ciudadana]] (CDC)
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* [[Movimiento Ayra]] (AYRA)
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* [[Movimiento de Acción Ciudadana]] (MACA)
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* [[Movimiento Autónomo Regional]] (MAR)
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* [[Movimiento Bolivia Libre]] (MBL)
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* [[Movimiento de Integración Boliviana]] (MIBOL)
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* [[Movimiento de la Izquierda Revolucionaria]] (MIR)
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* [[Transformación Democrática y Patriótica]] (TRADEPA)
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The following parties lost their legal status after the [[2005 general election]].
* [[Frente Patriótico Agropecuario de Bolivia]] (FREPAB)
* [[Frente Patriótico Agropecuario de Bolivia]] (FREPAB)
* [[Movimiento Indígena Pachakuti]] (MIP)
* [[Movimiento Indígena Pachakuti]] (MIP)
* [[Nueva Fuerza Republicana]] (NFR)
* [[Nueva Fuerza Republicana]] (NFR)
* [[Unión Social de Trabajadores de Bolivia]] (USTB)
* [[Unión Social de Trabajadores de Bolivia]] (USTB)
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==Ideological classification==
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Because of the country's strong [[populist legacy]], Bolivian parties are often difficult to categorize by ideology. Likewise, many parties officially declare themselves as "nationalist" or [[national revolutionary parties]], regardless of where they fit on a left-right spectrum. Nevertheless, parties can be classified into the following categories:
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* [[Christian democratic parties|Christian democrat]]
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* [[Katarista parties|Katarista]] (Andean "indigenous")
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* [[Marxist-socialist parties|Marxist-socialist]]
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* [[Syndicalist parties|Syndicalist]]
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* [[Neoliberal parties|Neoliberal]] (or "systemic")
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* [[Neopopulist parties|Neopopulist]]
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* [[Regionalist parties|Regionalist]]
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* [[Social democratic parties|Social democrat]]
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A final type are the [[personalist parties]], which are both difficult to classify on any spectrum and quite common on Bolivian politics. A variety of political parties display a strong element of personalism, but the term is reserved for those that are almost purely personalist political vehicles.
== See also ==
== See also ==

Current revision as of 13:14, 7 November 2007

All political parties must register with the National Electoral Court (CNE). Recent constitutional changes allow civic associations and indigenous communities to register and run slates of candidates in municipal, departmental, and national elections. Some of the orgaqnizations registered with the CNE are more appropriately considered electoral fronts, electoral alliances, or civic groups; for simplicity, they are all referred to here as "parties."

Bolivia has, for much of its recent post-democratization history, had a multiparty system. Until 2002, the party system was dominated by three to five medium-sized parties. Seats in the National Congress are (since 1997) elected in a mixed-member proportional electoral system. Before 2005, no presidential candidate won a simple majority, and coalition governments were the norm. Recently, the party system has become dominated by two electoral parties: MAS and PODEMOS.

Contents

Major parties

Only four parties won legislative seats in the 2005 general election: MAS, PODEMOS, MNR, and UN. A total of twenty parties won delegate seats in the 2006 constituent assembly election; some of those parties are only regional parties, running candidates in only one of the country's nine departments.

National parties

The following political parties have presence in all nine departments.

Regional parties

The following parties have presence in only one department.

Minor parties

The following parties did not elect delegates in the most recent 2006 constituent assembly election.

Parties that have lost legal status

The following parties lost their legal status after the 2006 constituent assembly election.

The following parties lost their legal status after the 2005 general election.

Ideological classification

Because of the country's strong populist legacy, Bolivian parties are often difficult to categorize by ideology. Likewise, many parties officially declare themselves as "nationalist" or national revolutionary parties, regardless of where they fit on a left-right spectrum. Nevertheless, parties can be classified into the following categories:

A final type are the personalist parties, which are both difficult to classify on any spectrum and quite common on Bolivian politics. A variety of political parties display a strong element of personalism, but the term is reserved for those that are almost purely personalist political vehicles.

See also

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