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Parliament name (generic / translated) Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional / Plurinational Legislative Assembly More photos  >>> Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Cámara de Senadores / Chamber of Senators Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Cámara de Diputados / Chamber of Deputies Affiliation to the IPU Yes Affiliation date(s) 1979 - 1980 1983 - LEADERSHIP President Milton Barón (M)  Notes Elected on 16 Aug. 2018. Secretary General Alexander Ramírez Arispe (M)  COMPOSITION Members (statutory / current number) 36 / 36 PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN More statistics  >>> Women (current number) 17 (47.22%) Mode of designation directly elected 36 Term 5 years Last renewal dates 12 October 2014 (View details) CONTACT INFORMATION Address Senado Nacional Palacio Legislativo Plaza Murillo LA PAZ-BOLIVIA (Export mailing lists) Phone (591 2) 214 3002 Fax (591 2) 214 3006 E-mail presidencia@senado.bo Website http://senado.gob.bo/

Parliament name (generic / translated) Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional / Plurinational Legislative Assembly Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Cámara de Senadores / Chamber of Senators Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Cámara de Diputados / Chamber of Deputies LEGAL FRAMEWORK Electoral law 30 April 2002 Last updated on 30 June 2010 (La Ley No. 026 de Régimen Electoral) Mode of designation directly elected 36 Constituencies 9 multi-member (4 seats each) constituencies corresponding to the country's departments. Voting system Proportional: Party-list majority system. Vacancies arising between general elections are filled by substitutes elected at the same time as titular members of Congress or, failing this, by the "next-in-line" candidate on the same party list. Voting is compulsory. Voter requirements - age: 18 years - Bolivian citizenship CANDIDATES Eligibility - age: 35 years - Bolivian citizenship by birth - fulfilment of military obligations - literacy - full possession of civil rights - ineligibility: arrest, imprisonment Incompatibilities - Government minister - diplomat - civil servant or employee - military or police officer on active duty - contractor for public works or services - manager or administrator of a State-related company or enterprise - certain ecclesiastics Candidacy requirements - nomination by political parties, coalition of parties or duly-recognised civic institutions - Candidacies are presented on the basis of gender equality, with women and men alternating on the list. At least 50 per cent of candidates (both titular and substitutes) must be women.

Parliament name (generic / translated) Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional / Plurinational Legislative Assembly Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Cámara de Senadores / Chamber of Senators Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Cámara de Diputados / Chamber of Deputies BACKGROUND Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 12 October 2014 Timing and scope of renewal President Evo Morales' Movement for Socialism (MAS-IPSP ) won a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the Plurinational Legislative Assembly. It took 88 seats in the 130-member Chamber of Deputies and 25 in the 36-member Senate. The Democratic Unity coalition (UD) - comprising the Social Democratic Movement (MDS ) and the National Unity Front (UNF) - took 32 seats in the Chamber and nine in the Senate. Following a law passed in 2010, which requires electoral lists to include an equal number of men and women, the 2014 elections resulted in a record number of women - 69 (up from 29) in the Chamber (53.08%) and 17 (up from 15) in the Senate (47.22%). Mr. Morales, who has been President since 2006, was re-elected for a third term (see note). During the election campaign, the President ran on the government's record, highlighting economic growth and reduced poverty in the country. The MAS-IPSP promised to halve extreme poverty to 9% by 2020. It also promised to call a referendum on reform of the judiciary, though it did not unveil the details. UDC's presidential candidate, Mr. Samuel Doria Medina, proposed to introduce a new subsidy to eradicate extreme poverty. He also promised to restore diplomatic relations with the United States and to withdraw from the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA). Note: The Constitution stipulates that the President can serve only two consecutive terms. In April 2013, the Constitutional Court ruled that President would be able to seek re-election in 2014. It stated President Morales' first term did not count since it was shortened due to the 2009 constitutional referendum and subsequent early presidential elections. Date of previous elections: 6 December 2009 Timing of election: Upon normal expiry Expected date of next elections: October 2019 Number of seats at stake: 36 (full renewal) Number of candidates: Not available. Percentage of women candidates: Not available. Number of parties contesting the election: Not available Number of parties winning seats: 3 Alternation of power: No Number of parties in government: 1 Names of parties in government: Movement for Socialism (MAS-IPSP) Date of the first session of the new parliament: 21 January 2015 Name of the new Speaker: Mr. José Alberto Gonzales Samaniego (MAS) STATISTICS Voter turnout Round no 1 12 October 2014 Number of registered electors Voters Blank or invalid ballot papers Valid votes 5'973'901 Notes Distribution of votes Round no 1 Political group Candidates Votes % of votes Movement for Socialism (MAS-IPSP) National Unity Front (UNF) Christian Democratic Party (PDC) Distribution of seats Round no 1 Political Group Total of seats Movement for Socialism (MAS-IPSP) 25 National Unity Front (UNF) 9 Christian Democratic Party (PDC) 2 Distribution of seats according to sex Men Women Percent of women 19 17 47.22% Distribution of seats according to age Distribution of seats according to profession Comments Source: Plurinational Legislative Assembly (17.11.2014, 19.11.2014, 09.12.2014)

Parliament name (generic / translated) Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional / Plurinational Legislative Assembly Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Cámara de Senadores / Chamber of Senators Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Cámara de Diputados / Chamber of Deputies APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE Title President of the Senate Term - duration: 1 year - reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death, dissolution Appointment - elected by all the Senators - after validation of mandates - after Senators are sworn in Eligibility - any Senator can be a candidate Voting system - formal vote by secret ballot Procedures / results - the eldest Senator presides over the Senate during the voting STATUS Status - ranks second in the hierarchy of State (Vice President of the Republic) - represents the Senate with the public authorities - represents the Senate in international bodies - in the absence of the President, the Vice Presidents can assume his/her role and functions Board - the Governing Board is regulated by the Standing Orders - consists of the President, two Vice Presidents and three Secretaries - duration: 1 year Material facilities NA (no information received) FUNCTIONS Organization of parliamentary business - organizes the debates and sets speaking time - examines the admissibility of bills and amendments - refers texts to a committee for study - the Board can : * convenes sessions * establishes and modifies the agenda Chairing of public sittings - can open, adjourn and close sittings - makes announcements concerning the Senate - takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures - establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak - calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities - checks the quorum - authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates - has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates - the Board can : * ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders Special powers - the Board can : * is responsible for establishing the budget * organizes the services of Parliament - is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Senate Speaking and voting rights, other functions - takes part in voting in the event of a tied vote or where voting is by secret ballot - provides guidelines for the interpretation or completion of the text under discussion - transmits laws to the Executive for promulgation

Parliament name (generic / translated) Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional / Plurinational Legislative Assembly Structure of parliament Bicameral Chamber name (generic / translated) Cámara de Senadores / Chamber of Senators Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Cámara de Diputados / Chamber of Deputies NATURE Nature of the mandate · Free representation Start of the mandate · When the Senators take the oath Validation of mandates · Validation by the Chamber of Senators and, in the event of challenge or the emergence of grounds for annulment, by the National Electoral Court (Art. 67, No. 1 of the Constitution of 02.02.1967, as amended up to and including 06.02.1995, Art. 196, and 247 (2) in connection with Art. 121 and 123 of the Electoral Law) · Procedure (Art. 67, No. 1 of the Constitution, Art. 247 (4) of the Electoral Law) End of the mandate · On the day when the legal term of the House ends (see Art. 65 in connection with Art. 60 (7) of the Constitution and Art. 127 of the Electoral Law) Can MPs resign? Yes · Of their own free will (Art. 57 of the Constitution) · Procedure: resignation before the President of the Chamber of Senators who informs the plenary · Authority competent to accept the resignation: the resignation need not be accepted Can MPs lose their mandate ? Yes (a) Definitive exclusion from Parliament by the latter: definitive removal for misconduct (Art. 67, No. 4 of the Constitution; see Code of conduct) (b) Loss of mandate for incompatibilities (Art. 49, and 54 in connection with Art. 67, No. 4 of the Constitution; see above) STATUS OF MEMBERS Rank in hierarchy · Within Parliament: 1. The President 2. The Vice-Presidents (2) 3. The Secretaries (3) 4. The other Senators · Outside Parliament: Indemnities, facilities and services · Diplomatic or official passport · Basic salary: BOB 20.800 + Sitting Allowance: BOB 1 per sitting · No exemption from tax · Private Pension Fund (AFP) · Other facilities: (a) Secretariat (b) Assistants (c) Official car for the President and the Vice-Presidents (d) Security guards for the President and the Vice-Presidents (e) Postal and telephone services (f) Travel and transport (g) Others: medical care, funeral costs Obligation to declare personal assets Yes Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability · The concept does exist (Art. 51 of the Constitution, Rule of the Rules of Debate of the Chamber of Senators) · Parliamentary non-accountability applies to words spoken and written by Senators both within and outside Parliament. · Derogations: offence or insult (Rule 47 of the Rules of Debate of the Chamber of Senators, see Discipline) · Non-accountability takes effect on the day when the mandate begins and offers, after the expiry of the mandate, protection against prosecution for opinions expressed during the exercise of the mandate. Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability · The concept does exist (Art. 52 and 53 of the Constitution). · It applies to criminal and civil proceedings, covers all offences and protects Senators from arrest and from being held in preventive custody, from the opening of judicial proceedings against them and, in civil matters, also from the requirement to give bond. · No derogations are foreseen. · Parliamentary inviolability does not prevent Senators from being called as witnesses before a judge or tribunal. · Protection is provided from the start to the end of the mandate, but for the suing and the requirement to give bond in civil matters only during a period beginning sixty days before the meeting of Congress and ending at the time the Senator returns to his residence. It (does not) also cover(s) judicial proceedings instituted against Senators before their election. · Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) can be lifted (Art. 52 of the Constitution): - Competent authority: the Chamber of Senators - Procedure (Art. 52 of the Constitution, Rule 107 of the Rules of Debate of the Chamber of Senators): decision by a two-thirds vote. In this case, Senators can(not) be heard. They do (not) have means of appeal. EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE Training · There is neither a training/initiation process on parliamentary practices and procedures for Senators, nor a handbook of parliamentary procedure. Participation in the work of the Parliament · Penalties foreseen in case of lack of quorum (Rule 33 of the Rules of Debate of the Chamber of Senators): publication of the names of those absent · Body competent to judge such cases/to impose penalties: Discipline · The rules governing discipline within Parliament are contained in Rule 47 of the Rules of Debate of the Chamber of Senators. · Disciplinary measures foreseen: - Interruption (Rule 47 of the Rules of Debate of the Chamber of Senators) - Call to order (Rule 47 of the Rules of Debate of the Chamber of Senators) - Withdrawal of the floor for the rest of the debate (Rule 47 of the Rules of Debate of the Chamber of Senators) · Specific cases: - Offence or insult (Rule 47 of the Rules of Debate of the Chamber of Senators): all disciplinary measures · Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties: - Interruption, offence or insult: any Senator - Call to order, withdrawal of the floor for the rest of the debate, offence or insult: the President, after a decision of the Chamber of Senators · Procedure (Rule 47 of the Rules of Debate of the Chamber of Senators) Code (rules) of conduct · This concept does not exist in the country's juridical system but there are some relevant provisions (Art. 49, 54, and 67, No. 4 of the Constitution). · Penalties foreseen for violation of the rules of conduct: - Temporary removal (Art. 67, No. 4 of the Constitution; misconduct) - Definitive removal (Art. 67, No. 4 of the Constitution; misconduct) - Loss of mandate (Art. 49, and 54 in connection with Art. 67, No. 4 of the Constitution; incompatibilities) · Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties: the Chamber of Senators · Procedure (Art. 67, No. 4 of the Constitution). In this case, Senators have (no) means of recourse. Relations between MPs and pressure group · There are no legal provisions in this field.

This page was last updated on 12 September 2018
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