Bolivia's Government: Limited Or Unlimited?

Bolivia is a presidential representative democratic republic with a directly elected president who is the head of state, head of government and head of a diverse multi-party system. The president is elected by popular vote to a five-year term. Executive power is exercised by the government and legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament. The judiciary and the electoral branch are independent of the executive and the legislature. Bolivia's current constitution was adopted via referendum in 2009, providing for a unitary secular state with a mixed economy of state, private, and communal ownership.

Bolivia is a presidential republic

Bolivia's current constitution was adopted via referendum in 2009, providing for a unitary secular state. The president is directly elected to a five-year term by popular vote and can serve an unlimited number of terms. A candidate needs either an absolute majority or 40% of the votes with a 10-point lead to win the election. If no candidate achieves this in the first vote, a run-off vote is held between the two candidates with the most votes.

The country is divided into nine departments, 112 provinces, 327 municipalities, and 1,384 cantons. The Plurinational Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of the Chamber of Senators (36 members) and the Chamber of Deputies (130 members), with members of both chambers directly elected for five-year terms.

The municipal government is headed by a municipal council and a mayor, with councilpersons elected by universal, direct, and secret suffrage. Mayors are chosen by an absolute majority of valid votes.

Bolivia's multiparty democracy has seen a wide variety of parties in the presidency and parliament, with the Movement for Socialism (MAS) being the governing party since 2006. The country has been governed by democratically elected governments since 1982, with brief interruptions in 2019-2020 and 2024.

The president is head of state, head of government and head of a multi-party system

Bolivia is a presidential representative democratic republic, with the president serving as the head of state, head of government, and a diverse multi-party system. The president is directly elected by popular vote to a five-year term, with no limit on the number of terms they can serve. Executive power is vested in the government, while legislative power is shared between the government and the bicameral Plurinational Legislative Assembly, consisting of the Chamber of Senators and the Chamber of Deputies. The judiciary and the electoral branch are independent of the executive and the legislature.

Bolivia's current constitution, adopted in 2009, established the country as a unitary secular state. The constitution extended the presidential term from four to five years and kept a two-term limit. However, in 2017, the Supreme Tribunal of Justice ruled that elected officials could run for office indefinitely, rather than adhering to the two-term limit.

The president of Bolivia, as the head of state and government, leads the executive branch of the government and is the captain-general of the Armed Forces. They are responsible for executing the laws and administering the government, with the assistance of the cabinet ministers. The president also has the power to appoint and remove ambassadors, conclude treaties, and issue decrees.

The president's role as the head of a multi-party system involves interacting with and influencing the various political parties and alliances that exist in the country. They may negotiate with different parties to form governing coalitions, seek support for their policies and agenda, and navigate the political landscape to advance their goals.

The president's role in Bolivia's multi-party system also includes the power to call for new elections under certain circumstances. For example, if no candidate wins a majority in the first round of voting, a runoff election is held between the top two candidates. Additionally, in cases where the president resigns, is removed from office, or is otherwise unable to serve, the vice president typically assumes the presidency, with the president of the Senate and the president of the Chamber of Deputies in the line of succession.

Legislative power is vested in the government and the two chambers of parliament

Bolivia is a presidential representative democratic republic, with legislative power vested in the government and the two chambers of parliament. The legislative branch of the Bolivian government is called the Plurinational Legislative Assembly, which is made up of the Chamber of Senators and the Chamber of Deputies. The Vice President of Bolivia is also the ex officio President of the Plurinational Legislative Assembly.

The Chamber of Senators has 36 seats, with each of the country's nine departments returning four senators elected by proportional representation. Senators are elected from party lists to serve five-year terms, and the minimum age to hold a Senate seat is 35 years.

The Chamber of Deputies has 130 seats, with 70 deputies elected to represent single-member electoral districts, seven of which are Indigenous or Campesino seats elected by the usos y costumbres of minority groups. The remaining 60 are elected from party lists on a departmental basis. Deputies also serve five-year terms and must be aged at least 25 on the day of the election.

Each house elects its own directorate: a President, first and second Vice Presidents, and three or four Secretaries (for the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, respectively). Each party has a seat, consisting of its legislators, and each house considers legislation in standing committees.

The legislative branch has a wide range of powers, including the right to pass, abrogate, interpret, and modify laws. Congress also has oversight powers over the executive branch, with the ability to call ministers and other members to testify. It also has the power of specific indictment and can approve the annual budget, establish the monetary system, and approve all economic policy. In addition, Congress plays a role in foreign policy by approving treaties and deciding whether to allow foreign troops to operate in Bolivia.

The judiciary and electoral branch are independent of the executive and legislature

Bolivia is a presidential representative democratic republic, with the president serving as the head of state, government, and a diverse multi-party system. The government exercises executive power, while legislative power is vested in the government and the two chambers of parliament. However, the judiciary and the electoral branch are independent of the executive and legislature.

The judiciary in Bolivia consists of the Supreme Court of Justice, the Plurinational Constitutional Court, the Judiciary Council, the Agrarian and Environmental Court, and District (departmental) and lower courts. The Plurinational Constitutional Court rules on the constitutionality of government or court actions, while the Judiciary Council oversees the conduct of courts and judges, addressing misconduct and ethical violations.

The electoral branch of Bolivia's government, formally known as the Plurinational Electoral Organ, is an independent branch that replaced the National Electoral Court in 2010. This branch includes the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, nine Departmental Electoral Tribunals, Electoral Judges, anonymously selected Juries at Election Tables, and Electoral Notaries. The Supreme Electoral Tribunal, led by Wilfredo Ovando, operates under the Constitution and the Electoral Regime Law.

The independence of the judiciary and the electoral branch from the executive and legislative branches is a crucial feature of Bolivia's political system, ensuring a separation of powers and contributing to the strengthening of representative democracy in the country.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has emphasised the importance of independent branches of government and urged the Bolivian state to ensure the proper functioning of its justice system. IACHR has highlighted challenges in the election processes for various judicial positions, including the Supreme Court of Justice and the Plurinational Constitutional Court, and called for effective measures to safeguard the independence of the judiciary.

Bolivia's current constitution was adopted via referendum in 2009

Bolivia is a presidential representative democratic republic, with the president serving as the head of state, head of government, and head of a diverse multi-party system. The country's current constitution, its 17th, was adopted via referendum on 25 January 2009 and came into effect on 7 February 2009. It was promulgated by President Evo Morales after being approved by 61.43% of voters.

The 2009 Constitution defines Bolivia as a unitary plurinational and secular state, formally known as the Plurinational State of Bolivia. It calls for a mixed economy of state, private, and communal ownership, restricting private land ownership to a maximum of 5,000 hectares (12,400 acres). It also recognises a variety of autonomies at the local and departmental levels. The constitution elevates electoral authorities to become a fourth constitutional power, introduces the possibility of recall elections for all elected officials, and enlarges the Senate.

Bolivia is established by the current constitution as a plural and unitary state. It defines the forms of democracy—participatory, representative, and community-based—and the structure of government to be used in the country. The constitution also provides that Bolivia is based on plurality and on political, economic, legal, cultural, and linguistic pluralism within the country's integration process. It recognises the right to individual or collective property and the right to inheritance as social and economic rights.

The Movement for Socialism (Movimiento al Socialismo, MAS), a left-wing, socialist political party led by Evo Morales, has governed the country since 2006. It achieved the first-ever majority victory by a single party in the December 2005 elections.

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