Politics of Bolivia 69013 214129702 2008-05-22T06:02:21Z David Barba 5527451 /* Executive branch */ {{Politics of Bolivia}} The '''politics of Bolivia''' takes place in a framework of a [[Presidential system|presidential]] [[Representative democracy|representative democratic]] [[republic]], whereby the [[President of Bolivia|president]] is [[head of state]], [[head of government]] and head of a [[pluriform]] multi-party system. [[Executive power]] is exercised by the government. [[Legislative power]] is vested in both the [[government]] and the two chambers of parliament. The [[Judiciary]] is independent of the executive and the legislature. {| style="background:transparent;" |- style="vertical-align:top;" | __TOC__ |style="text-align:right;"| [[Image:Central La Paz Bolivia.jpg|thumbnail|250px|[[La Paz]] is the political capital of Bolivia.]] |} == Overview == [[Bolivia]]'s 1967 [[constitution]], revised in 1994, provides for balanced executive, legislative, and judicial powers. The traditionally strong [[President of Bolivia|executive]], however, tends to overshadow the National Congress. The judiciary, consisting of the [[Supreme Court of Bolivia|Supreme Court]] and departmental and lower courts, has long been riddled with corruption and inefficiency. Through revisions to the constitution in 1994, and subsequent laws, the government has initiated potentially far-reaching reforms in the judicial system and processes. [[Hugo Banzer Suárez]] was elected [[president]] in 1997. No candidate received a majority of the popular vote, but Banzer won a congressional runoff election on 5 August, 1997 after forming a "megacoalition", [[Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada]] was chosen president by [[National Congress of Bolivia|Congress]], winning an 84-43 vote against contestant [[Evo Morales]]. Following the resignation of the elected 18, 2005, the Socialist indigenous leader, [[Evo Morales]], was elected president. == Executive branch == [[Image:Morales 20060113 02.jpg|thumb|200px|Current president [[Evo Morales]]]] {{office-table}} | [[President of Bolivia|President]] | [[Evo Morales]] | [[Movement Towards Socialism (Bolivia)|Movement Towards Socialism (MAS)]] | [[22 January]] [[2006]] |- | Vice President | [[Álvaro García Linera]] | Movement for Socialism (MAS) | 22 January 2006 |} The president is elected to a five-year term by popular vote. Elected president [[Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada]] resigned in October 2003, and was substituted by vice-president [[Carlos Mesa]]. Mesa was in turn replaced by chief justice of the Supreme Court [[Eduardo Rodríguez]] in June 2005. Six months later, on [[December 18]], [[2005]], the Socialist indigenous leader, == Legislative branch == The [[Bicameralism|bicameral]] [[National Congress of Bolivia|National Congress]] (''Congreso Nacional'') consists of the [[Senate of Bolivia|Chamber of Senators]] (''Cámara de Senadores'') (27 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) and the [[Chamber of Deputies of Bolivia|Chamber of Deputies]] (''Cámara de Diputados'') (130 seats; 68 are directly elected from their districts and 62 are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms). {{clear}} == Political parties and elections == {{elect|List of political parties in Bolivia|Elections in Bolivia}} {{Bolivian presidential election, 2005}} {{Bolivian parliamentary election, 2005}} Other parties include: * [[Bolivian Socialist Falange]] or FSB &ndash; [[Romel Pantoja]] * Civic Solidarity Union or UCS &ndash; [[Johnny Fernández]] * Free Bolivia Movement or MBL &ndash; [[Franz Barrios]] * Marshal of Ayacucho Institutional Vanguard or VIMA &ndash; [[Freddy Zabala]] * [[Movement of the Revolutionary Left]] or MIR &ndash; [[Jaime Paz Zamora]] * Movement Without Fear or MSM &ndash; [[Juan Del Granado]] * [[Nationalist Democratic Action]] or ADN &ndash; [[Jorge Quiroga|Jorge Fernando Quiroga]] * Socialist Party or PS &ndash; [[Jeres Justiniano]] == Social movements == Some of Bolivia's social movements are: * Cocalero Groups &ndash; [[Evo Morales]] * indigenous organizations * "El Alto" Social Movements [[Roberto De La Cruz]] * Aymara Indigenous Confederate Movements [[Felipe Quispe]] * "El Alto" FEJUVE [[Abel Mamani]] * [[Central Obrera Boliviana|labor unions]] * [[Confederación Sindical Única de Trabajadores Campesinos de Bolivia|Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia]] or CSUTCB &ndash; [[Roman Loayaza]] * Autonomic Oriental Party == Judicial branch == * Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges appointed for 10-year terms by National Congress * District Courts (one in each department) * Provincial and local courts (to try minor cases) == Local government == Bolivia is divided in nine departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); [[Chuquisaca Department|Chuquisaca]], [[Cochabamba Department|Cochabamba]], [[Beni]], [[La Paz Department|La Paz]], [[Oruro Department|Oruro]], [[Pando Department|Pando]], [[Potosi]], [[Santa Cruz Department|Santa Cruz]], [[Tarija Department|Tarija]]. Bolivia's nine [[Departments of Bolivia|departments]] received greater autonomy under the Administrative Decentralization law of 1995. Departmental autonomy further increased with the first popular elections for departmental governors, known as prefects, on [[18 December]] [[2005]]. [[:Category:Cities in Bolivia|Bolivian cities and town]]s are governed by directly elected [[mayor]]s and councils. Municipal elections were held on [[5 December]] [[2004]], with councils elected to five-year terms. The Popular Participation Law of April 1994, which distributes a significant portion of national revenues to municipalities for discretionary use, has enabled previously neglected communities to make striking improvements in their facilities and services. == International affairs == <p>'''International organization participation:''' CAN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, [[Rio Group|RG]], UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO == References == *{{factbook}} *{{StateDept}} == See also == *[[History of Bolivia]] *[[List of presidents of Bolivia]] {{South America topic|Politics of}} [[Category:Politics of Bolivia| ]] [[es:Política de Bolivia]] [[fr:Politique de la Bolivie]] [[pt:Política da Bolívia]]