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ELECTIONS IN 2009

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Parliament name (generic / translated) Asamblea Nacional / National Assembly Structure of parliament Unicameral BACKGROUND Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 26 April 2009 Purpose of elections Elections were held for all seats in the newly-established National Assembly. The April 2009 elections were the first to be held under the new Constitution adopted by referendum in September 2008. At stake were the 124 seats in the National Assembly established by the new Constitution. Presidential elections were held at the same time. In the previous elections to the then 100-member National Congress held in October 2006 the Institutional Renewal Party of National Action (PRIAN) came in first with 27 seats. Mr. Alvaro Noboa (PRIAN) lost to Mr. Rafael Correa who was supported by the Country Alliance (Alianza País AP) in the run-off presidential elections. In the light of his commitment to rewrite the Constitution and to restructure the National Congress Mr. Correa did not endorse any party in the 2006 parliamentary elections. Other parties winning seats in the National Congress included the Party of the Patriotic Society (PSP 23 seats) the Social Christian Party (PSC 12 seats) and the Democratic Left-RED Alliance (ID-RED 10 seats). Mr. Correa known as an ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was sworn in as President on 15 January 2007. A political crisis broke out the following month when the President announced his intention to hold a referendum on the establishment of a Constituent Assembly that would rewrite the Constitution. Fifty-seven parliamentarians who opposed the move were dismissed by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal in March. At the referendum which took place in April 2007 81.72 per cent of voters approved the establishment of the Constituent Assembly. Elections to the 130-member Constituent Assembly took place on 30 September 2007. President Correa's allies including his own MPAIS (Movimiento Patria Altiva y Soberana) party which had been a part of the AP in the 2006 elections won 80 seats. The Constituent Assembly held its first session on 29 November and voted to "assume the legislative powers and duties" of the National Congress until such time as a new constitution was adopted. It declared that the National Congress would be in recess without pay until then. The National Congress rejected the move which it claimed the Constituent Assembly was not empowered to make. The Constituent Assembly finalized the draft constitution in July 2008. In September the Constitution was approved by 64 per cent of voters in a referendum. Once the new Constitution entered into force on 20 October the National Congress ceased to function. A 76-member Legislative and Oversight Commission made up of members of the Constituent Assembly was tasked in the interim with performing the main functions of the legislative branch until the National Assembly was established. The new Constitution stipulated that early parliamentary and presidential elections be held. Twice delayed the elections took place on 26 April 2009. The election campaign started on 10 March. Eighteen parties were vying for seats. Major contenders included President Correa's MPAIS the PSP of former president Lucio Gutierrez (who was ousted by street protests in 2005) and Mr. Noboa's PRIAN. All three party leaders were also presidential candidates but despite their rivalry it was widely expected that the three parties would form a coalition government after the elections. Other parties - the PSC the ID the Roldosista Party of Ecuador (PRE) - did not endorse a presidential candidate. Before the 2009 elections the country's economy was reported to be slowing down amid the global financial crisis and lower prices for oil Ecuador's main export. Remittances from Ecuadorians abroad were falling a trend strongly felt among the 38 per cent of the country's 14 million inhabitants reported to be living below the poverty line. The country's foreign debt reached US$ 10 billion representing 19.7 per cent of gross domestic product. In December 2008 President Correa declared a moratorium on one third of the debt on the grounds that Ecuador was a victim of "developed world mistakes" that had brought about the financial crisis. President Correa pledged to deal with the financial crisis by standing up to foreign investors and to provide more housing roads and jobs through the social programme funded by OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries). The PSP of Mr. Gutierrez who had mounted a coup in 2000 campaigned on a platform of lower taxes and small government. Mr. Gutierrez led a door-to-door campaign mainly in the Amazon region where he grew up. Although initially the PSP was expected to win around 10 per cent of the votes it steadily gained ground in both parliamentary and presidential polls winning support from indigenous communities in the Amazon and the Andes. President Correa's party was said to be struggling in these regions its policy to promote mining on indigenous lands counting against it. PRIAN leader Noboa reportedly the country's richest man had been opposition leader in the Constituent Assembly but was expelled in January 2008 for not disclosing his personal wealth. He criticized Mr. Correa's administration for not doing enough for the poor arguing that despite oil revenues of US$ 25 billion only one million houses had been built principally for Mr. Correa's supporters. The PRIAN promised to create more jobs by developing tourism agriculture and industry. In the 2009 elections the electoral rolls increased by some 1.4 million new voters as a result of citizens over 16 years old (instead of 18) police officers soldiers detainees and foreigners legally residing in Ecuador for over five years being allowed to vote. Over 75 per cent of nearly 10.6 million registered voters turned out at the polls. President Correa's MPAIS came in first with 59 seats but failed to secure a majority. The PSP and the PSC took 19 and 11 seats respectively. The PRIAN took seven. The remainder went to small parties. 40 women were elected. President Correa was re-elected with 51.99 per cent of the votes becoming the first presidential candidate to be elected without a run-off in the 30 years since Ecuador returned to constitutional rule. PSP leader Gutierrez who came in second with 28.24 per cent of the votes insisted that election fraud had taken place. The newly elected National Assembly held its first session on 31 July and elected Mr. Fernando Cordero (MPAIS) as its Speaker. STATISTICS Voter turnout Round no 1 26 April 2009 Number of registered electors Voters Blank or invalid ballot papers Valid votes 10'529'765 Notes Distribution of seats Round no 1 Political Group Total Movement for a Proud and Sovereign Fatherland (MPAIS) 59 Patriotic Society Party (PSP) 19 Social Christian Party (PSC) 11 Institutional Renewal Party of National Action (PRIAN) 7 Municipalist Movement for National Integrity (MMIN) 5 People's Democratic Movement (MPD) 5 Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement - New Country (MUPP-NP) 4 Ecuadorian Roldosist Party (PRE) 3 Democratic Left (ID) 2 Autonomous Regional Movement (MAR) 1 National Democratic Coalition Movement (MCND) 1 MI - PS-FA - ID - MOPA 1 Amauta Yuyai Independent Political Movement (MIAY) 1 Deeds are Love Independent Movement (MIOSA) 1 United for Pastaza Independent Movement (MIUP) 1 Carchi Social Conservative Movement (MSC) 1 Regional Action for Equity - Latin American People's Alliance (ARE - APLA) 1 Civic Awareness (CC) 1 Distribution of seats according to sex Men Women Percent of women 84 40 32.26% Distribution of seats according to age Distribution of seats according to profession Comments Note on the Distribution of seats: MI - PS-FA - ID - MOPA stands for Equality Movement (MI) - Socialist Party-Broad Front (PS-FA) - Democratic Left (ID) - Movement of Azuay 70 Professionals (MOPA). Sources: - National Assembly (13.07.2009) - http://www.cne.gov.ec/

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