Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement


The Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement (Spanish: Movimiento Liberal Republicano Nacionalista, MOLIRENA) is a centre-right conservative-liberal political party in Panama.

Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement
Movimiento Liberal Republicano Nacionalista
LeaderFrancisco Aleman
FoundedOctober 1, 1982 (1982-10-01)
Merger ofCPN
TPN
MLN
HeadquartersPanama City
IdeologyNational liberalism[1]
Liberalism[2][3]
Conservatism[4][5]
Political positionCentre-right
Regional affiliationCenter-Democratic Integration Group
ColoursYellow, Red
Seats in the National Assembly
1 / 71
District Mayors
12 / 81
Corregimiento Representatives
0 / 702
Seats in the Central American Parliament (Panamanian seats)
0 / 20
Party flag
Website
partidomolirena.com (archived)

History

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The MOLIRENA was founded on October 21, 1981, by the now-defunct Third Nationalist Party, National Patriotic Coalition, National Liberation Movement and factions that had earlier split off from the National Liberal Party and Republican Party.[6] This party evolved as part of an alliance of traditional, oligarchy-controlled, and primarily conservative organizations that opposed both the government and the military.[7]

According to a Soviet Union news article published in 1988:

The MOLIRENA was aptly called a 'patchwork quilt' by local journalists. The characteristic feature of the party was the link of the agrarian oligarchy with the commercial bourgeoisie, i.e. a union of the most conservative segments of the country. The names of members of MOLIRENA leaders César Arrocha Graell, Guillermo Arias, and Rene Crespo, who, as members of the government before 1968, took part in the appropriation of almost a billion dollars from the state treasury, were mentioned in the local press in connection with former 'merits.'[8]

In 1984, the party was part of the Democratic Opposition Alliance (ADO), which lost the presidential and legislative elections following suspected widespread fraud by the military.[9]

During 1987, the party became increasingly involved in confrontations with the government. They openly campaigned—with strikes and street demonstrations, which were violently suppressed—to effect the resignation and removal of General Manuel Noriega, who was accused of drug trafficking, electoral fraud, corruption, and murder.[10]

In May 1989, the MOLIRENA was again part of the Democratic Alliance of Civic Opposition (DAOC) coalition, which supported the presidential candidacy of Guillermo Endara of the Arnulfista Party,[11] after the official ratification of the results following the US military invasion in December. Guillermo Ford became Second Vice-president of the Republic (1989–1994). During this term, Alonso Fernandez Guardia was president of the National Assembly (1991).[12]

For the 1994 Panamanian general election, the party was the main component of the Alliance for Change '94, with MOLIRENA's Rubén Dario Carles as the coalition's presidential candidate. He received 171,192 votes (16.05%) and came in fourth.[13]

In 1999, the MOLIRENA was allied with the Union for Panama (ADP) and its candidate Mireya Moscoso.[14]

In 2004, the MOLIRENA was allied with the Vision of the Country (ADP) and its candidate José Miguel Alemán. The party won 8.6% of the popular vote and 4 out of 78 seats.[15]

In 2009, it was allied with the Alliance for Change (ADP) and its candidate Ricardo Martinelli.[16]

In 2014, the MOLIRENA allied with the Democratic Change party, and its candidate Jose Domingo Arias, but ultimately lost the election. Afterward, the MOLIRENA's president, Sergio Gonzalez Ruiz, resigned from his post and the presidency fell to San Miguelito legislator Francisco Aleman.

Election results

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Presidential elections

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Election Candidate Votes Vote % Result
Party Alliance Total Party Alliance Total
1984 Arnulfo Arias 30,737 299,035 4.80 46.71  N Lost
1989 Guillermo Endara 132,011 463,388 20.28 71.18  Y Elected
1994 Rubén Dario Carles 116,478 171,192 10.82 16.05  N Lost
1999 Mireya Moscoso 140,240 572,717 10.97 44.80  Y Elected
2004 José Miguel Alemán 60,106 245,568 4.01 16.38  N Lost
2009 Ricardo Martinelli 94,841 952,333 5.98 60.03  Y Elected
2014 José Domingo Arias 98,519 581,828 5.31 31.38  N Lost
2019 Laurentino Cortizo 45,664 655,302 2.32 33.35  Y Elected
2024 José Gabriel Carrizo 7,337 133,791 0.32 5.88  N Lost

National Assembly elections

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Election Leader Votes % Seats +/– Government
1984 Guillermo Ford 50,936 8.36% (#6)
3 / 67
New Opposition
1989 122,974 20.19% (#2)
17 / 67
  14 Coalition
1994 Rubén Dario Carles 116,833 11.30% (#3)
5 / 72
  12 Opposition
1999 Arturo Vallarino 92,711 7.54% (#4)
3 / 71
  2 Coalition
2004 125,547 8.64% (#4)
4 / 78
  1 Opposition
2009 70,457 4.68% (#5)
2 / 71
  2 Coalition
2014 Sergio Gonzalez Ruiz 121,815 7.16% (#4)
2 / 71
  0 Opposition
2019 Francisco Aleman 92,340 5.11% (#4)
5 / 71
  3 Coalition
2024 67,908 3.17% (#7)
1 / 71
  4 Opposition

PARLACEN elections

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The amount of seats allocated for the PARLACEN is based on the vote share obtained by each party in the presidential election.

Election Leader Votes % Seats +/–
2019 Francisco Aleman 45,664 2.32% (#4)
1 / 20
2024 7,337 0.32% (#8)
1 / 20
  0

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Weck, Winfried; Marin, Marcee Gómez (7 May 2019), "Präsidentschafts- und Parlamentswahlen in Panama", Konrad Adenauer Foundation
  2. ^ Perez, Orlando J. (2000), "The Past as Prologue?: Political Parties in Post-Invasion Panama", Post-Invasion Panama, Lexington Books, p. 129
  3. ^ Library of Congress, Federal Research Division. Panama: A Country Study. Ed. Sandra W. Meditz and Dennis M. Hanratty. Washington: GPO, 1989. p. 314.
  4. ^ Political Handbook of the World 2008, CQ Press, 2008
  5. ^ McTernan, Benedict (2004), Political Risk Yearbook, 2004, vol. 1, Political Risk Services, p. 35
  6. ^ Historia del MOLIRENA
  7. ^ Political Parties of the Americas, the 1980s to 1990s: Canada, Latin America, and the West Indies. Ed. by Charles D. Ameringer. Greenwood Press. 1992. p. 481.
  8. ^ JPRS Reports. Foreign Broadcast Information Service. 1988.
  9. ^ Elections in the Americas: A Data Handbook. Ed. Dieter Nohlen, Vol. 1. Oxford Univ. Press, 2005. p. 533.
  10. ^ MOLIRENA
  11. ^ Elections in the Americas: A Data Handbook. Ed. Dieter Nohlen, Vol. 1. Oxford Univ. Press, 2005. p. 533.
  12. ^ Political Handbook of the World, 1993. New York, 1993. p. 637.
  13. ^ Elections in the Americas: A Data Handbook. Ed. Dieter Nohlen, Vol. 1. Oxford Univ. Press, 2005. p. 534.
  14. ^ Elections in the Americas: A Data Handbook. Ed. Dieter Nohlen, Vol. 1. Oxford Univ. Press, 2005. p. 534.
  15. ^ Elections in the Americas: A Data Handbook. Ed. Dieter Nohlen, Vol. 1. Oxford Univ. Press, 2005. p. 535.
  16. ^ Electoral Tribunal