Jonah Patel
Bolivia's 2009 Constitution initially limited presidents to two terms, but a 2017 ruling by the country's highest court removed term limits, allowing President Evo Morales to run for a fourth term in 2019. The decision was criticised by some as a 'blow to democracy' and sparked protests, but Morales retained strong support from indigenous groups and trade unions. The ruling also had broader implications, ending term limits for other elected officials such as vice presidents, state governors, and mayors.
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- Bolivia's Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal ruled in 2017 that all elected officials could run indefinitely
- The 2017 ruling ended term limits for the president, vice president, state governors, and more
- The 2009 Constitution allowed two consecutive five-year terms for presidents
- The 2009 Constitution was approved by 61.43% of voters in a referendum
- The 2009 Constitution defines Bolivia as a unitary plurinational and secular state
Bolivia's Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal ruled in 2017 that all elected officials could run indefinitely
Bolivia's Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal ruled on November 28, 2017, that all elected officials could run for office indefinitely, rather than for the two consecutive terms permitted under the 2009 Constitution. The ruling ended term limits for the president, vice president, state governors, state assembly members, mayors, and municipal councilors.
The tribunal justified its decision based on the American Convention on Human Rights' interpretation of political rights. The court's head, Macario Lahor Cortez, wrote, "All people that were limited by the law and the constitution are hereby able to run for office, because it is up to the Bolivian people to decide." This ruling had enormous implications for President Evo Morales, who had been in office since 2006 and could now seek reelection for a fourth term in 2019. The court's move invalidated the results of a February 2016 referendum, where a slim majority of 51.3% had voted against changing the constitution to allow Morales to run for a fourth term.
Morales had initially accepted the results of the 2016 referendum. However, he later reversed his decision, stating that while he would happily give up office, his supporters wanted him to stay. The ruling sparked protests across the country, with opponents arguing that Morales was attempting to tighten his grip on power, similar to the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Conservative ex-president Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga called the Tribunal's decision a coup d'état, while ex-president Carlos Mesa tweeted that the decision had destroyed democratic guarantees. Despite the controversy, Bolivia under the Morales administration remained in good economic shape, with unprecedented social spending, a stable currency, and the highest financial reserves per capita in the country's history.
The 2009 Constitution of Bolivia, promulgated by President Evo Morales, introduced significant changes to the country's political system. It extended the presidential term from four to five years while retaining the two-term limit. The constitution also elevated electoral authorities to become a fourth constitutional power and introduced the possibility of recall elections for all elected officials. It defined Bolivia as a unitary plurinational and secular state, with a mixed economy of state, private, and communal ownership, and restricted private land ownership to a maximum of 5,000 hectares.
Understanding Board Fees: Trade or Business?
You may want to see also
The 2017 ruling ended term limits for the president, vice president, state governors, and more
Bolivia's 2009 Constitution, which was approved by referendum on 25 January 2009 and came into effect on 7 February 2009, previously restricted the president, vice president, state governors, state assembly members, mayors, and municipal councilors to two consecutive terms in office. However, on 28 November 2017, Bolivia's Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal, also known as the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, ruled that all elected officials could run for office indefinitely. This ruling ended term limits for the aforementioned positions and allowed President Evo Morales, who had been in power since 2006, to seek reelection for a fourth term in 2019.
The 2017 ruling was based on the American Convention on Human Rights' interpretation of political rights. This decision invalidated the results of a February 2016 referendum in which a slim majority of 51.3% voted against changing the constitution to allow Morales to run for a fourth term. The ruling was controversial, with widespread concerns that modifying the constitution signalled a return to authoritarianism in Bolivia.
The 2009 Constitution of Bolivia made several other significant changes to the country's political system. It extended the presidential term from four years to five years, established Sucre as the capital, and introduced a two-round system for presidential elections, with a runoff election between the top two candidates if no candidate wins a majority in the first round. Additionally, the constitution recognises Bolivia as a unitary plurinational and secular state, formally known as the Plurinational State of Bolivia, and calls for a mixed economy of state, private, and communal ownership.
The Speaker's Role: Constitutional Duties and Powers
You may want to see also
The 2009 Constitution allowed two consecutive five-year terms for presidents
The current Constitution of Bolivia came into effect on 7 February 2009, after being approved in a referendum with 90.24% participation. The 2009 Constitution defines Bolivia as a unitary plurinational and secular state, with a mixed economy of state, private, and communal ownership. It restricts private land ownership to a maximum of 5,000 hectares and recognises a variety of autonomies at the local and departmental levels.
The 2009 Constitution extended the presidential term from four years to five years while keeping the two-term limit. This meant that the President of Bolivia could serve a maximum of ten years in office. The Constitution also introduced a second-round mechanism in case no candidate obtained a majority (over 50% of the votes, or over 40% with an advantage of 10% over the second nearest candidate). This was a change from the previous system, where Congress decided the winning candidate if no candidate won a majority.
In 2016, the MAS party congress began investigating ways to allow Evo Morales to run for a fourth term after he had already served three terms as president. On 21 February 2016, a proposal to abolish term limits failed to pass via constitutional referendum by a margin of 51% to 49%. Despite this, on 28 November 2017, the Plurinational Constitutional Tribunal ruled that all elected officials could run for office indefinitely, rather than for the two consecutive terms permitted under the 2009 Constitution. This ruling ended term limits for the president, vice president, state governors, state assembly members, mayors, and municipal councilors.
The 2017 ruling had enormous implications for President Evo Morales, who had been in office since 2006 and could now seek reelection for a fourth term in 2019. This decision was controversial, with some arguing that it signaled a return to authoritarianism in Bolivia.
Email Evidence: Workplace Injury Reporting Explained
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The 2009 Constitution was approved by 61.43% of voters in a referendum
Bolivia's current constitution, the 2009 Constitution, was approved by 61.43% of voters in a referendum held on 25 January 2009. It was promulgated by President Evo Morales on 7 February 2009. The constitution defines Bolivia as a unitary plurinational and secular state, formally known as the Plurinational State of Bolivia. It is the 17th constitution in the country's history.
The 2009 Constitution was preceded by a period of renegotiation. This included dialogue between the President and opposition Prefects in September 2008, and negotiations in Congress for a referendum in October 2008. The referendum saw a high level of participation, with 90.24% of voters taking part.
The 2009 Constitution made several changes to the country's political system. It extended the presidential term from four to five years, while maintaining the two-term limit. It also introduced a two-round system, whereby if no candidate wins a majority in the first round, the top two candidates advance to a runoff election. The constitution also elevated the electoral authorities to become a fourth constitutional power, and introduced the possibility of recall elections for all elected officials.
The 2009 Constitution also had an impact on the economy. It called for a mixed economy of state, private, and communal ownership, and restricted private land ownership to a maximum of 5,000 hectares. It also recognised a variety of autonomies at the local and departmental level.
Leadership Selection: Presidential Democracy Explained
You may want to see also
The 2009 Constitution defines Bolivia as a unitary plurinational and secular state
The current Constitution of Bolivia, also known as the Political Constitution of the State, came into effect on 7 February 2009. It defines Bolivia as a unitary plurinational and secular state, formally known as the Plurinational State of Bolivia. Bolivia is a unitary social state of plurinational, community-based law, free, independent, sovereign, democratic, intercultural, decentralized, and with autonomies. The constitution was approved by 61.43% of voters in a referendum held on 25 January 2009, with a 90.24% participation rate.
The 2009 Constitution replaced or renamed a wide variety of institutions. It also introduced a transitional law, requiring a set of five structural laws to be passed within 180 days of its enactment for the various bodies of government created under the Constitution to function. As of April 2011, sixteen such laws had been passed. The 2009 Constitution also calls for a mixed economy of state, private, and communal ownership, and restricts private land ownership to a maximum of 5,000 hectares (12,400 acres). It recognises a variety of autonomies at the local and departmental levels and declares natural resources to be the exclusive dominion of the Bolivian people, administered by the state.
The constitution also defines the forms of democracy to be used in Bolivia, namely participatory, representative, and community-based democracy. Direct and participatory democracy takes place through referendums, citizen legislative initiatives, revocation of elected officials' mandates, assemblies, cabildos, and prior consultation. Representative democracy takes place through the election of representatives through universal, direct, and secret votes.
The 2009 Constitution also outlines the importance of education and health care as fundamental responsibilities of the state. It emphasises the unitary nature of the educational and health systems, with the state taking control and guaranteeing access to both. The educational system is to be intra-cultural, inter-cultural, and multilingual, promoting cultural diversity and the preservation and development of existing cultures in the country.
Curtains: Normal Wear and Tear or Not?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the 2009 Constitution of Bolivia allows the President and Vice-President to put themselves forward for re-election once, limiting the number of terms to two.
Yes, in 2016, a proposal to abolish term limits failed to pass via constitutional referendum by a margin of 51% to 49%.
On 28 November 2017, Bolivia's Constitutional Court ruled that all elected officials could run for office indefinitely, allowing President Evo Morales to run for a fourth term in 2019.
The ruling was described as a "'blow to democracy'" by Morales' opponents and the head of the Organization of American States also disagreed with the court's interpretation of the convention.
