Belize's Electoral Journey: Unraveling The Complexities Of Their General Election Process

Belize's general election process is a democratic parliamentary system with a two-party structure. The country is divided into six districts, with a bicameral legislature called the National Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The Governor-General of Belize can dissolve the National Assembly at any time, but a general election must be called within three months of such dissolution.

The House of Representatives has 31 members, each representing a single-seat constituency, elected for terms of up to five years. Members are elected using a first-past-the-post system, where the candidate with the most votes wins.

The Senate, on the other hand, has 13 seats, with six members appointed by the Prime Minister, three by the Leader of the Opposition, and the remaining four by non-partisan groups.

The Prime Minister is the head of the party with the majority of seats in the House of Representatives.

The Governor-General can dissolve the National Assembly at any time, but a general election must be called within three months

The Governor-General of Belize has the power to dissolve the National Assembly at any time, under Sections 84 and 85 of the Constitution. This can be done under the advice of the Prime Minister of Belize, with the caveat that a general election must be called within three months of such dissolution, unless the Governor-General sees no reason to do so.

The Governor-General is currently Dame Froyla Tzalam, who succeeded Young in 2024. The Governor-General is the representative of the country's monarch, currently King Charles III, and holds mostly ceremonial functions. However, the role does hold some reserve powers, including the ability to dissolve the National Assembly.

The National Assembly of Belize is bicameral, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives is the more powerful chamber, with 31 members elected for terms of up to five years in single-seat constituencies. The Senate has 13 seats, with six members appointed by the majority party in the House, three by the minority party, and the remaining four by nonpartisan groups.

The Prime Minister is the head of the government and is designated by the Governor-General, who chooses the individual who is the leader of the party or coalition with a majority in the House of Representatives. The Prime Minister can advise the Governor-General to dissolve the National Assembly, which must then be followed by a general election within three months.

The last general election in Belize was held on November 11, 2020, with the previous one on November 4, 2015.

Belize has a two-party system, with the centre-left People's United Party (PUP) and the centre-right United Democratic Party (UDP) dominating

Belize has a two-party system, with the centre-left Peoples United Party (PUP) and the centre-right United Democratic Party (UDP) dominating. The PUP was founded in 1950 as an anti-colonial party while Belize was under British rule. It played a major role in negotiating Belize's self-government in 1964 and eventual independence in 1981. The UDP was formed in 1973 as a merger of three opposition parties.

The PUP dominated Belizean politics from the mid-1950s until 1984, when it lost to the UDP. The UDP held power from 1984 to 1989, when the PUP returned to power. The two parties have since alternated in government, with the UDP most recently winning the 2008 and 2012 general elections, and the PUP winning in 2020.

The PUP is currently the governing party, having won the 2020 Belizean general election with a majority of 26 out of 31 seats in the Belizean House of Representatives. The UDP is now the main opposition party.

The Prime Minister is the head of the party with the majority of seats

Belize operates a "Westminster-style", first-past-the-post system. This means that the first party to get a majority of seats wins the election and can form a government. The Prime Minister is the head of the party with the majority of seats.

Belize's House of Representatives has 31 seats, so the winner of the election is the first party to get a majority of those seats, or 16. The Prime Minister is not directly elected by the voters, but is the leader of the party that wins the most seats.

The Prime Minister is appointed by the Governor-General of Belize, who can dissolve the National Assembly at any time under the advice of the Prime Minister. A general election must be called within three months of a dissolution.

The House of Representatives has 31 seats, so the first party to secure 16 wins

Belize operates a "Westminster-style", first-past-the-post system. This means that the first party to get a majority of seats wins the election.

The voter elects their area representative, not the future prime minister. The prime minister is the head of the party with the majority (at least 16) of seats.

Voters elect their area representative, not the future Prime Minister

Belize operates a "Westminster-style", first-past-the-post system. This means that Belizeans vote for their area representative in the constituency where they live. The elected area representative then wins a seat in the 31-seat chamber House of Representatives. The party with the most seats in the chamber wins the election and can form a government.

Unlike presidential elections, the voter elects their area representative, not the future prime minister. The prime minister is the head of the party with the majority (at least 16) of seats.

Frequently asked questions