Bolivia's Ruling Party Ousted from Congress Amid Economic Woes

Strategic Insights -

Voters in Bolivia overwhelmingly rejected the long-governing party, known as the MAS, in general elections held on August 17. The party's defeat marked a significant shift in the country's political landscape, with the centrist and right-wing parties gaining the most votes. The election results, which were finalized on October 19, saw the MAS lose its 21 Senate seats and all but two of its 75 seats in the lower house of Congress. According to Diego von Vacano, an expert in Bolivian politics at Texas A&M University, the election marked the end of the MAS as a party and a movement.

Key Takeaways:

  • The MAS, which has ruled Bolivia for much of the last two decades, lost its 21 Senate seats and all but two of its 75 seats in the lower house of Congress.
  • Centrist and right-wing parties took the most votes in the election, with the Christian Democratic Party (CDP) winning 70 out of 166 total congressional seats and the Libre Party taking 53.
  • Businessman Jeanine Áñez is poised to play a key role in Bolivian politics, with her right-wing Unity bloc capturing 35 seats in the lower house of Congress.
  • Spoiled ballots took third place in the presidential race, and Doria Medina, a candidate from the original MAS party, took fourth place despite leading opinion polls for weeks.
  • The MAS party's official candidate, minister Eduardo Del Castillo, captured 3.17% of the total vote, narrowly avoiding extinction.

Statistics:

  • 21: The number of Senate seats the MAS lost in the election.
  • 75: The number of seats in the lower house of Congress that the MAS lost, except for two.
  • 166: The total number of congressional seats up for grabs in the election.
  • 70: The number of seats won by the Christian Democratic Party (CDP) in the lower house of Congress.
  • 53: The number of seats won by the Libre Party in the lower house of Congress.
  • 35: The number of seats won by the right-wing Unity bloc in the lower house of Congress.
  • 3.17%: The percentage of the total vote won by the MAS party's official candidate, minister Eduardo Del Castillo.

Sources:

  • Associated Press. (2022, October 19). Voters in Bolivia complete their shift away from the ruling party in key elections. The New York Times.
  • AP. (2022, October 19). Bolivia election: Businessman Jeanine Áñez poised to play key role. The Washington Post.
  • von Vacano, D. (2022). Expert analysis on Bolivia's election results. Texas A&M University.