Plurinational Legislative Assembly
The Plurinational Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional) is the bicameral legislative organ of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, comprising the Chamber of Senators with 36 members—four elected from each of the nine departments—and the Chamber of Deputies with 130 members apportioned by population through a mixed system of single-member districts and proportional representation.[1][2] Established by the 2009 Political Constitution of the State, which restructured Bolivia's governance to emphasize its plurinational character and indigenous representation, the Assembly replaced the prior unicameral National Congress and began operations following elections in December 2009.[1] The Assembly's primary functions include enacting and sanctioning laws, approving the national budget and international treaties, authorizing public debt, and conducting oversight of the executive and other state organs through investigations and fiscalization mechanisms.[1][2] Presided over by the Vice President of Bolivia, it convenes annually starting August 6, with members serving five-year terms and gender parity mandated in candidate lists to promote equal participation.[1] While designed to embody participatory democracy and intercultural pluralism, the Assembly has been characterized by dominant influence from the Movement for Socialism party in its early decades, reflecting the political shifts initiated under President Evo Morales.[1] Its sessions occur in a dedicated building in La Paz, underscoring the legislative branch's central role in Bolivia's unitary state framework.[3]History
Establishment and 2009 Constitutional Reforms
The Plurinational Legislative Assembly was established by the Constitution of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, approved via national referendum on January 25, 2009, with 61 percent voter approval, and promulgated on February 7, 2009.[4][5] This replaced the prior National Congress, renaming and restructuring the legislature to emphasize Bolivia's plurinational composition, incorporating recognition of indigenous nations, rural native peoples, and intercultural parity within a unitary state framework.[6] The reforms stemmed from the Constituent Assembly elected in August 2006, which drafted the text by late 2007; the draft faced opposition-led modifications in the National Congress before referendum submission.[7] Under the previous structure, the National Congress comprised a 130-member Chamber of Deputies elected via proportional and single-member districts, and a 27-member Senate with three seats per department (two for the departmental majority party and one for the first minority).[4] The 2009 constitution retained 130 deputies but reconfigured their election into 70 uninominal districts, 53 plurinominal seats allocated proportionally per department, and seven special indigenous seats via direct suffrage in designated circumscriptions to rectify longstanding underrepresentation of native groups.[6] The Senate expanded to 36 members, with four per department elected through a mixed system prioritizing territorial plurality, including provisions to ensure minority and indigenous voices.[4][8] These changes aimed to foster participatory, representative, and communitarian democracy, granting the assembly authority over legislation, oversight, and treaty ratification while subordinating it to constitutional supremacy and plurinational principles.[9] The inaugural assembly convened in January 2010 following general elections on December 6, 2009, which applied the new electoral framework under the reformed constitution.[10][4]Transitional and Early Assemblies (2009–2015)
The 2009 Bolivian Constitution, approved by referendum on January 25, 2009, with 61.43% support, established the Plurinational Legislative Assembly as the successor to the bicameral National Congress, comprising a 130-member Chamber of Deputies and a 36-member Chamber of Senators to enhance representation of indigenous peoples and plurinational character.[6] The constitution was promulgated on February 7, 2009, by President Evo Morales, who declared Bolivia a "Plurinational State" emphasizing communal and participatory democracy alongside representative elements.[11] In the interim, the outgoing National Congress—elected under the 1967 constitution with 130 deputies and 27 senators—continued functioning in a transitional role to bridge the gap until new elections could populate the restructured body, handling routine legislative matters amid ongoing political tensions from the constituent assembly process.[12] General elections on December 6, 2009, determined the composition of the inaugural assembly, with Morales' Movement for Socialism (MAS) securing a supermajority: 88 seats in the Chamber of Deputies (67.7%) and 25 seats in the Chamber of Senators (69.4%), enabling constitutional amendment powers without opposition veto.[13] This dominance reflected MAS's alignment with the constitution's plurinational framework, including reserved seats for indigenous candidates, though critics noted the results stemmed from Morales' 64% presidential victory amid low opposition turnout and regional divisions. The assembly was formally installed on August 6, 2010—Bolivia's Independence Day—with MAS selecting its leadership, including Senate President Gabriela Montaño and Deputies President Héctor Arce, marking the operational shift to the new structure headquartered in La Paz. From 2010 to 2015, the assembly prioritized enacting five foundational laws mandated by the constitution within 180 days of inauguration to operationalize the state: the Framework Law of Autonomies and Decentralization (Law 031, July 19, 2010), regulating departmental and indigenous autonomies; the Electoral Regime Law (Law 026, June 30, 2010), enforcing gender parity in candidate lists (alternating men and women); and others addressing judicial restructuring and hydrocarbon nationalization frameworks.[14][15] These measures centralized executive control under MAS while nominally decentralizing via autonomies, though implementation faced delays and disputes, such as departmental referendums boycotted by opposition strongholds like Santa Cruz. The period saw over 100 laws passed, focusing on resource sovereignty and social programs, but also controversies including suppression of dissent, as evidenced by assembly approvals of media regulations criticized for curbing press freedoms.[16] By 2014 elections, MAS retained its majority, transitioning to the next assembly in 2015, with the early term solidifying executive-legislative alignment under Morales.[13]Assemblies Under MAS Dominance (2015–2025)
The third Plurinational Legislative Assembly (2015–2020), elected in the October 12, 2014, general elections, featured overwhelming dominance by the Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS), which secured 88 of 130 seats in the Chamber of Deputies (67.7 percent) and 25 of 36 seats in the Senate.[17] [18] This two-thirds supermajority in both chambers allowed MAS to enact legislation advancing resource nationalization, indigenous rights expansion, and state-led economic policies without significant opposition vetoes. Key measures included the September 2018 Law of Political Organizations (Law 026), which imposed intraparty primaries for candidate selection but drew opposition claims of entrenching MAS control over electoral processes by raising barriers for smaller parties.[19] The assembly's tenure was marked by efforts to extend President Evo Morales' rule, including tacit support for the 2017 Constitutional Tribunal ruling interpreting indefinite reelection as a human right, overriding the February 2016 referendum where 51.3 percent of voters rejected further terms for Morales.[20] Controversies included procedural maneuvers, such as passing military promotion regulations in 2019 by exploiting opposition absences to achieve quorum, and broader criticisms of democratic erosion through MAS influence over judicial and electoral bodies, enabling suppression of dissenting media and civil society.[21] Opposition lawmakers faced expulsions and harassment, contributing to a legislative environment where MAS priorities—such as hydrocarbon sector reforms and social spending laws—prevailed amid reports of limited debate on fiscal sustainability.[22] The 2019 electoral crisis, involving fraud allegations and Morales' resignation, led to an interim administration under Jeanine Áñez, which convened the assembly minimally before new elections. The fourth assembly (2020–2025), elected on October 18, 2020, retained MAS majority with 75 of 130 Deputies seats (57.7 percent) and 20 of 36 Senate seats, though short of a supermajority.[23] Under President Luis Arce, MAS initially unified to reverse Áñez-era policies, passing emergency economic laws and reasserting state control over lithium and gas resources amid post-pandemic recovery. However, from mid-2023, escalating rivalry between Arce's faction and Morales loyalists fractured the party, paralyzing assembly functions through boycotts, quorum denials, and mutual accusations of treason.[24] [25] This infighting stalled key legislation, including budget approvals and judicial reforms, exacerbating fuel shortages and inflation as blockades by Morales supporters disrupted supply chains in 2024.[26] [27] Physical clashes between factions, including a July 2024 brawl in La Paz, underscored the breakdown, with Morales' camp controlling grassroots bases while Arce held formal party structures.[28] The assembly's inability to resolve internal disputes weakened MAS governance, culminating in the party's electoral defeat in the August 17, 2025, general elections, where opposition coalitions captured a legislative plurality, ending two decades of MAS hegemony.[29][30]Structure and Composition
Chamber of Deputies
The Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados) serves as the lower house of Bolivia's Plurinational Legislative Assembly, established under the 2009 Constitution to represent popular sovereignty through direct election. It comprises 130 deputies, with 70 elected via plurality vote in single-member districts apportioned across Bolivia's departments and 60 allocated proportionally from closed party lists within each of the nine departments, ensuring a mixed-member system that balances local and departmental representation.[31][32] Deputies serve five-year terms concurrent with presidential elections, requiring candidates to be Bolivian citizens over 25 years of age, literate, and resident in their constituency or department as applicable.[33] This structure aims to incorporate Bolivia's plurinational diversity, with uninominal seats focusing on geographic districts and plurinominal seats distributing based on vote shares exceeding thresholds set by electoral law, typically favoring larger parties while allowing smaller ones limited access. Indigenous communities may secure special circumscriptions if population thresholds are met, though these have not significantly altered the standard 130-seat total in recent assemblies. The chamber organizes into a presidency, vice-presidencies, and commissions for specialized review, elected internally at the session's outset to manage proceedings and legislative workflow.[34][35] In the 2020-2025 legislative period, the Movement for Socialism (MAS) held a supermajority of approximately 88 seats, enabling dominance over legislative agendas. However, the August 17, 2025, general elections marked a dramatic reconfiguration, with the Christian Democratic Party (PDC) capturing 49 seats, the LIBRE alliance securing 39, smaller parties like Unity taking additional shares, and MAS relegated to just one seat amid widespread voter rejection of its prolonged rule. This outcome, certified by the Plurinational Electoral Organ, reflects heightened fragmentation and opposition control, potentially complicating executive-legislative relations under incoming President Rodrigo Paz Pereira.[36][37]Chamber of Senators
The Chamber of Senators forms the upper house of Bolivia's bicameral Plurinational Legislative Assembly, established under the 2009 Constitution to represent the country's territorial departments and plurinational character. It consists of 36 senators, with four elected from each of the nine departments: La Paz, Oruro, Potosí, Cochabamba, Chuquisaca, Tarija, Santa Cruz, Beni, and Pando.[1] [38] Each department elects four titular senators and corresponding substitutes via closed-list proportional representation, ensuring multi-party distribution based on vote shares within the department.[39] [40] Senators serve five-year terms, renewable only once, aligning with general elections for the assembly. Candidates must be Bolivian citizens by birth, at least 30 years old, and literate, with no additional departmental residency requirement beyond general eligibility.[41] [1] The chamber's presidency is elected by absolute majority among senators at the start of each legislative period, with the eldest senator presiding temporarily until then; the president coordinates sessions, represents the chamber, and maintains order.[42] [40] Beyond shared legislative functions in joint session, the Senate holds exclusive attributions including approving international treaties, authorizing presidential absences exceeding 30 days or indefinite leaves, permitting troop deployments abroad, and judging—upon impeachment by the Chamber of Deputies—high officials such as judges, prosecutors, and military leaders for offenses in office.[1] [43] It also accepts resignations from its members and the vice president, and approves its internal regulations autonomously.[1] The chamber operates through specialized commissions for policy areas like constitution, foreign affairs, and economics, facilitating bill review and oversight.[44] Sessions convene in La Paz, with quorum requiring an absolute majority of members.[42]Electoral System and Representation
The electoral system for Bolivia's Plurinational Legislative Assembly combines majoritarian, proportional, and reserved representation elements to elect its bicameral structure, as established by the 2009 Constitution and Law 026 of the Electoral Regime. Elections occur every five years concurrently with presidential voting, using universal adult suffrage for citizens aged 18 and older, with compulsory voting enforced through fines for non-participation. The system emphasizes plurinational representation by incorporating special mechanisms for indigenous peoples, alongside geographic and proportional allocations to balance urban, rural, and departmental interests.[1][45] In the Chamber of Deputies, 130 members are elected as follows: 70 via plurality vote in single-member uninominal districts corresponding to electoral circumscriptions; 53 through closed-list proportional representation (plurinominal seats) allocated departmentally using the D'Hondt method; and 7 reserved for indigenous representatives elected by plurality in dedicated rural native indigenous circumscriptions. This structure ensures direct local representation through uninominal seats, broader departmental proportionality, and affirmative inclusion for Bolivia's 36 recognized indigenous nations and peoples, who comprise a significant portion of the population but face geographic and socioeconomic barriers to standard electoral competition. Gender parity is mandated, with lists alternating male and female candidates and requiring at least 50% female representation overall.[46][47][48]| Seat Type | Number | Election Method | Purpose/Allocation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uninominal | 70 | Plurality in single-member districts | Local geographic representation |
| Plurinominal | 53 | Proportional representation (D'Hondt) | Departmental proportionality |
| Indigenous Special | 7 | Plurality in indigenous circumscriptions | Reserved for native indigenous groups |