Bolivian constitutional referendum, 2008
Encyclopedia
A constitutional referendum was held in Bolivia
on 25 January 2009, postponed from the initially planned dates of 4 May 2008 and then 7 December 2008. Drafted by the Constituent Assembly
in 2007, the new constitution was approved in the referendum according to an exit poll by Ipsos
Apoyo for La Razón and ATB, a Bolivian television network. Furthermore, it requires early elections to be held on 6 December 2009.
Evo Morales
, the Constituent Assembly was elected on 2 July 2006. The referendum should originally have taken place on 6 August 2007, but the Assembly's validity was extended until 14 December 2007. On 9 December 2007, the Assembly approved the draft and on 14 December, the Assembly officially handed the constitution draft over to the National Congress
.
The National Congress adopted the law on 28 February 2008 calling for the referendum on 4 May 2008 even though many opposition members chose to stay away during the vote. A law was also approved and signed by Morales that permitted only Congress to call departmental referendums, thereby barring the departmental referendums on autonomy that had also been called for 4 May.
On 7 March 2008, the National Electoral Court suspended the referendum, along with the opposition's regional referendums, saying that there was not enough time for adequate electoral preparations. Nonetheless, the government of Santa Cruz Department
went ahead and held its autonomy referendum
as planned, ignoring the Court's interdiction on all referendums. Beni Department
and Pando Department
held their referendums on 1 June 2008.
In a decree on 28 August 2008, Morales declared that the referendum would be held on 7 December 2008.
, the government and the opposition held talks which resulted in a compromise reached on 20 October 2008. They agreed to hold the referendum on 25 January 2009 and early elections on 6 December 2009; Morales in turn promised he would not run again in 2014 after his likely reelection in 2009, despite the fact that he would be allowed to do so under the new constitution.
, located near La Paz
, claiming that his opponents had "tried ceaselessly" to have him killed. He also said: "Now I want to tell you that they can drag me from the palace. They can kill me. Mission accomplished for the re-founding of the new united Bolivia". One key reform allows Morales to stand for re-election in December 2009.
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
on 25 January 2009, postponed from the initially planned dates of 4 May 2008 and then 7 December 2008. Drafted by the Constituent Assembly
Bolivian Constituent Assembly
The Bolivian Constituent Assembly, convened on August 6, 2006 in Sucre, with the purpose of drafting a new national constitution by December 14, 2007; extended from the original deadline of August 6, 2007. The Assembly approved the new Political Constitution of the State on 9 December 2007...
in 2007, the new constitution was approved in the referendum according to an exit poll by Ipsos
Ipsos
Ipsos S.A. is a global market research company headquartered in Paris, France. The Company was founded in 1975 and has been publicly traded on the Paris Stock Exchange since 1 July 1999...
Apoyo for La Razón and ATB, a Bolivian television network. Furthermore, it requires early elections to be held on 6 December 2009.
History
Under PresidentPresident of Bolivia
The President of Bolivia is head of state and head of government of Bolivia. According to the current Constitution, the president is elected by popular vote to a five year term, renewable once...
Evo Morales
Evo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
, the Constituent Assembly was elected on 2 July 2006. The referendum should originally have taken place on 6 August 2007, but the Assembly's validity was extended until 14 December 2007. On 9 December 2007, the Assembly approved the draft and on 14 December, the Assembly officially handed the constitution draft over to the National Congress
National Congress of Bolivia
The Plurinational Legislative Assembly also known as the National Congress is the national legislature of Bolivia, based in the nation's de facto capital, La Paz....
.
The National Congress adopted the law on 28 February 2008 calling for the referendum on 4 May 2008 even though many opposition members chose to stay away during the vote. A law was also approved and signed by Morales that permitted only Congress to call departmental referendums, thereby barring the departmental referendums on autonomy that had also been called for 4 May.
On 7 March 2008, the National Electoral Court suspended the referendum, along with the opposition's regional referendums, saying that there was not enough time for adequate electoral preparations. Nonetheless, the government of Santa Cruz Department
Santa Cruz Department
Santa Cruz, with an area of 370,621 km², is the largest of the nine constituent departments of Bolivia. In the 2001 census, it reported a population of 2,029,471. The capital is the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. The state is one of the wealthiest states in Bolivia with huge reserves of...
went ahead and held its autonomy referendum
Santa Cruz autonomy referendum, 2008
A referendum to approve the autonomy statute of Santa Cruz Department of Bolivia was held on 4 May 2008. The vote resulted from strains between the Prefecture of Santa Cruz and President Evo Morales. The referendum was declared illegal and unconstitutional by the National Electoral Court. Final...
as planned, ignoring the Court's interdiction on all referendums. Beni Department
Beni Department
Beni, sometimes El Beni, is a northeastern department of Bolivia, in the lowlands region of the country. It is the second largest department in the country , covering 213,564 square kilometers , and it was created by supreme decree on November 18, 1842 during the administration of General José...
and Pando Department
Pando Department
Pando is a department of Bolivia, with an area of , adjoining the border with Brazil. Pando has a population 66,689 . Its capital is the city of Cobija....
held their referendums on 1 June 2008.
In a decree on 28 August 2008, Morales declared that the referendum would be held on 7 December 2008.
- It acknowledges Bolivia as a unitaryUnitary stateA unitary state is a state governed as one single unit in which the central government is supreme and any administrative divisions exercise only powers that their central government chooses to delegate...
plurinational state. - It acknowledges Bolivia as a secular state (rather than a Catholic state, as in the previous constitution).
- Natural resources are the exclusive dominion of the Bolivian people, administered by the state.
- The number of members of the Chamber of Deputies is reduced, while the number of senators is increased; the members of the National Congress will be elected by first past the post votingPlurality voting systemThe plurality voting system is a single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly which is based on single-member constituencies...
in the future, in a change from the previous mixed member proportional systemMixed member proportional representationMixed-member proportional representation, also termed mixed-member proportional voting and commonly abbreviated to MMP, is a voting system originally used to elect representatives to the German Bundestag, and nowadays adopted by numerous legislatures around the world...
. - A mixed economy will be established; in a separate question within the referendum, voters decided to allow private land possession up to 5,000 hectareHectareThe hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s (12,400 acreAcreThe acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s). - Local autonomies and decentralisation will be reformed.
- Elections to all public bodies are to be held, and all previous terms will not be considered for term limits; additionally, the President will be allowed to be reelected once, thus allowing Evo Morales two more terms if he decides to pursue this route. Furthermore, if no candidate gains more than 50% of the vote in the presidential election, there will be a second round; up to now, the National Congress decided who would become President in such a case.
- It introduces the possibility of recall electionRecall electionA recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended...
s for all elected officials. - The judiciary is reformed, and judges will be elected in the future and no longer appointed by the National Congress.
- SucreSucreSucre, also known historically as Charcas, La Plata and Chuquisaca is the constitutional capital of Bolivia and the capital of the department of Chuquisaca. Located in the south-central part of the country, Sucre lies at an elevation of 2750m...
will be acknowledged as Bolivia's capital, but the institutions will remain where they are (executive and legislative in La PazLa PazNuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of the La Paz Department, and the second largest city in the country after Santa Cruz de la Sierra...
, judiciary in Sucre). The electoral authorities, which will become a fourth constitutional power, will be situated in Sucre.
Unrest and agreement
Following unrest in PandoPando Department
Pando is a department of Bolivia, with an area of , adjoining the border with Brazil. Pando has a population 66,689 . Its capital is the city of Cobija....
, the government and the opposition held talks which resulted in a compromise reached on 20 October 2008. They agreed to hold the referendum on 25 January 2009 and early elections on 6 December 2009; Morales in turn promised he would not run again in 2014 after his likely reelection in 2009, despite the fact that he would be allowed to do so under the new constitution.
Results
President Evo Morales enacted the new constitution on 7 February 2009, saying that he had accomplished his mission to "re-found" Bolivia. He spoke in front of thousands of his supporters in the town of El AltoEl Alto
At one time merely a suburb of adjacent La Paz, Bolivia, on the Altiplano highlands, the city of El Alto is today one of Bolivia's largest and fastest-growing urban centers. As of the 2001 census, the population was 649,958. In 2010, the population may be nearly 900,000, or more. The city contains...
, located near La Paz
La Paz
Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of the La Paz Department, and the second largest city in the country after Santa Cruz de la Sierra...
, claiming that his opponents had "tried ceaselessly" to have him killed. He also said: "Now I want to tell you that they can drag me from the palace. They can kill me. Mission accomplished for the re-founding of the new united Bolivia". One key reform allows Morales to stand for re-election in December 2009.