| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Asamblea Nacional / National Assembly |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
2 May 2004 |
| Purpose of elections |
Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. |
On 2 May 2004, Panamians were called to the polls to elect the President, the two Vice-Presidents, 78 members of Parliament, 66 mayors and 616 town councils.
About 1.9 million people were registered to vote in these elections, the first general elections after Panama received full control of the Panama Canal from the United States in December 1999.
Opinion polls showed that Mr. Martín Torrijos, from the New Fatherland Alliance (NP), composed of the Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD) and the Popular Party (PP) -the former Christian Democratic Party- had a comfortable lead over former President Guillermo Endara from the right-wing Solidarity Party (PS). Mr Torrijos is the son of former dictator General Omar Torrijos, who after ousting Arnulfo Arias, the husband of outgoing President Mireya Moscoso had governed Panama from 1968 until his death in 1981. Mr Torrijos distanced himself from that part of his father's past, saying he would create a truth commission to investigate deaths and disappearances from 1968-1989.
Mr Endara became President in 1989 after the United States invaded Panama in a swift military operation that toppled strongman Manuel Noriega and brought him to Miami for trial on narcotics charges. Mr Endara, whose presidency ended in 1994, was credited with Panama's democratization and economic development. His Solidarity Party originated as a splinter faction of the Arnulfista Party (PA) because of disagreements with the outgoing administration of Mrs. Mireya Moscoso.
Third in the race was Mr José Miguel Alemán, who ran under the Vision of the Country Alliance (VP), composed of the Arnulfista Party, the Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement (MOLIRENA), and the National Liberal Party (PLN). Mr Alemán was Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1999 and 2003 and promised to continue President Moscoso's agenda.
Management of the Canal and trade with the United States were top issues in the electoral campaign. More than 14,000 ships a year cross the 90-year-old Canal that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, but the passage needs to be modernized to accommodate today's larger vessels. Mr Torrijos promised to modernise and expand the Canal, the country's most important asset. His party also promised job creation, fighting corruption and improving human security. The PS for its part, also pledged to prosecute corrupt officials.
The vote was seen as relatively free and fair by international observers, and only a few election irregularities were reported. Voter turnout reached some 77 per cent.
The PRD swept to a resounding victory in the election. Its leader, Mr Torrijos, was the winner of the presidential elections, with 47.44 per cent of the votes as against 30.86 per cent for Mr Endara and 16.39 per cent for Mr Alemán.
For the National Assembly elections, the winning coalition was also the New Fatherland Alliance (NP): the PRD obtained nearly 38 per cent of the vote and 41 seats, while the PP obtained 6 per cent of the votes and 1 seats. The Arnulfista Party won some 20 per cent of the votes and 17 seats, while its partners in the coalition, the MOLIRENA and the PLN obtained 4 and 3 seats respectively. The Solidarity Party won 9 seats.
On 1st September 2004 the newly elected Assembly held its first sitting. |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 2 May 2004 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
71'888
1'453'088 |
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) |
|
549'948 |
|
|
37.85 |
|
|
| Arnulfista Party (PA) |
|
279'560 |
|
|
19.24 |
|
|
| Solidarity Party |
|
227'604 |
|
|
15.66 |
|
|
| Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement (MOLIRENA) |
|
125'547 |
|
|
8.64 |
|
|
| Liberal National Party |
|
76'191 |
|
|
5.24 |
|
|
| Democratic Change |
|
107'511 |
|
|
7.40 |
|
|
| People's Party (PP) |
|
86'727 |
|
|
5.97 |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) |
41
|
|
|
|
|
| Arnulfista Party (PA) |
17
|
|
|
|
|
| Solidarity Party |
9
|
|
|
|
|
| Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement (MOLIRENA) |
4
|
|
|
|
|
| Liberal National Party |
3
|
|
|
|
|
| Democratic Change |
3
|
|
|
|
|
| People's Party (PP) |
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
65
13
16.67%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
| Source: Tribunal Electoral |
|
A historical Archive of past election results for this chamber can be found on a separate page