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2019 Panamanian general election

(Redirected from Panamanian general election, 2019)

General elections were held in Panama on 5 May 2019.[3] Due to constitutional term limits, incumbent President Juan Carlos Varela was ineligible for a second consecutive term.[4] Businessman and politician Laurentino Cortizo of the centre-left Democratic Revolutionary Party won the election with around 33% of the vote, narrowly defeating Rómulo Roux of the centre-right Democratic Change, who won 31% of the vote. The PRD also won a majority in the National Assembly.[5] The ruling Panameñista Party of President Juan Carlos Varela suffered its worst result in history.[6] Its candidate, Panama City mayor José Isabel Blandón, received only 11% of the vote and came in fourth behind independent candidate Ricardo Lombana.[5] The party also lost half its seats in the National Assembly.[6]

2019 Panamanian general election
← 2014 5 May 2019 (2019-05-05) 2024 →
Presidential election
Turnout73.01% (Decrease 3.75pp)
 
Candidate Laurentino Cortizo Rómulo Roux
Party PRD CD
Alliance Joining Forces Change to Wake Up
Running mate Jose Gabriel Carrizo Luis Casis
Popular vote 655,302 609,003
Percentage 33.35% 31.00%
 
Candidate Ricardo Lombana José Blandón
Party Independent Panameñista
Alliance Panama We Can
Running mate Guillermo Márquez Nilda Quijano Peña
Popular vote 368,962 212,931
Percentage 18.78% 10.84%
Results by province
President before election

Juan Carlos Varela
Panameñista

Elected President

Laurentino Cortizo
PRD

Legislative election
All 71 seats in the National Assembly
36 seats needed for a majority
Party Leader Vote % Seats +/–
PRD Benicio Robinson 29.99 35 +9
CD Rómulo Roux 22.45 18 −6
Panameñista José Luis Varela 17.30 8 −8
MOLIRENA Francisco Alemán 5.11 5 +3
Independents – 17.88 5 +4
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Results by circuit[1][2]

Background

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Incumbent President Juan Carlos Varela was elected in 2014 with 39% of the vote.[7] Polls showed him to be the second most unpopular president in Latin America by 2018, with a 57% disapproval rating.[8]

Corruption became a major issue during the campaign,[9] being the first election held after the Panama Papers leak, which exposed the extent of the country's involvement in tax evasion.[10] Investigations into mass bribery by the Brazilian company Odebrecht also took place during the preceding presidential term,[11] with the presidential administrations of Martín Torrijos, Ricardo Martinelli, and Juan Carlos Varela all being subject to scrutiny.[12] Martinelli was also investigated for wiretapping political opponents,[13] which resulted in his being disqualified in his campaigns for Assembly deputy and Panama City mayor.[14]

Electoral system

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The President was elected through plurality vote in one round.

Of the 71 members of the National Assembly, 26 were elected in single-member constituencies and 45 by proportional representation in multi-member constituencies. Each district with more than 40,000 inhabitants formed a constituency. Constituencies elected one MP for every 30,000 residents and an additional representative for every fraction over 10,000.[15]

In single-member constituencies, MPs were elected using the first-past-the-post system. In multi-member constituencies MPs were elected using party list proportional representation according to a double quotient; the first allocation of seats used a simple quotient, further seats were allotted using the quotient divided by two, with any remaining seats are awarded to the parties with the greatest remainder.[15]

Presidential candidates

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The following seven candidates contested the election:[16]

Candidate selection

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Democratic Revolutionary Party

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Nito Cortizo won the PRD's presidential primary, held on 16 September 2023. He defeated Assembly member Zulay Rodríguez and former President Ernesto Pérez Balladares.[17] The Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement allied itself with the PRD.[18][19] He selected José Gabriel Carrizo as his running mate.[20]

Panameñista Party

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Panama City mayor José Blandón won the Panameñista primary, beating former Housing Minister Mario Etchelecu.[21] The People's Party allied itself with the Panameñista Party,[22] maintaining the alliance that had also been seen in the 2014 elections.[23] He selected Nilda Quijano as his running mate.[24]

Democratic Change

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Rómulo Roux, a former Canal Minister and Foreign Minister, won the CD presidential primary, defeating José Raúl Mulino,[25] winning 68% to Mulino's 29%.[26] He chose reporter Luis Casis as his running mate.[27]

Alliance Party

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The Alliance Party was a new political party led by Assembly member José Muñoz. José Domingo Arias, the losing CD presidential candidate in 2014, won its primary with over 90% of the vote.[28] The party later chose to ally itself with the CD candidacy of Rómulo Roux,[29] with Arias declining his presidential candidacy.[30]

Opinion polls

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Pollster Date Cortizo (PRD) Roux (CD) Lombana (IND)
Gallup Panama[31] 17–21 March 2019 38% 21% 4%
GAD3 29–30 April 2019 36% 26% 20%
Doxa Panamá 23–28 April 2019 30% 32% 15%
Stratmark 22–28 April 2019 44% 27% 10%

Results

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President

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CandidateParty or allianceVotes%
Laurentino CortizoJoining ForcesDemocratic Revolutionary Party609,63831.03
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement45,6642.32
Total655,30233.35
Rómulo RouxChange to Wake UpDemocratic Change564,29728.72
Alliance Party44,7062.28
Total609,00331.00
Ricardo LombanaIndependent368,96218.78
José BlandónPanama We CanPanameñista Party174,1138.86
People's Party38,8181.98
Total212,93110.84
Ana Matilde GómezIndependent93,6314.77
Saúl MéndezBroad Front for Democracy13,5400.69
Marco AmeglioIndependent11,4080.58
Total1,964,777100.00
Valid votes1,964,77797.58
Invalid/blank votes48,6562.42
Total votes2,013,433100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,757,82373.01
Source: Election Tribunal

National Assembly

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PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Democratic Revolutionary Party542,10529.9935+9
Democratic Change405,79822.4518–6
Panameñista Party312,63517.308–8
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement92,3405.115+3
People's Party65,0283.600–1
Alliance Party43,6702.420–1
Broad Front for Democracy22,7111.2600
Independents323,15317.885+4
Total1,807,440100.00710
Valid votes1,807,44092.68
Invalid/blank votes142,6637.32
Total votes1,950,103100.00
Source: Tribunal Electoral

Elected members

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Constituency Member Party
Circuit 1-1 Benicio Robinson Democratic Revolutionary Party
Abel Beker Democratic Revolutionary Party
Circuit 2-1 Néstor Guardia Democratic Revolutionary Party
Daniel Ramos Democratic Revolutionary Party
Circuit 2-2 Melchor Herrera Democratic Revolutionary Party
Circuit 2-3 Luis Ernesto Carles Panameñista Party
Circuit 2-4 Jorge Herrera Panameñista Party[a]
Circuit 3-1 Jairo Salazar Democratic Revolutionary Party
Mariano López Democratic Revolutionary Party
Leopoldo Benedetti Democratic Change
Pedro Torres Panameñista Party
Circuit 3-2 Nelson Jackson Democratic Change
Circuit 4-1 Fernando Arce Democratic Revolutionary Party
Miguel Fanovich Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement
Hugo Méndez Panameñista Party
Circuit 4-2 Everardo Concepción Panameñista Party
Circuit 4-3 Juan Esquivel Democratic Revolutionary Party
Rony Araúz Democratic Change
Circuit 4-4 Gonzalo González Democratic Revolutionary Party
Circuit 4-5 Manolo Ruiz Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement
Circuit 4-6 Ana Giselle Rosas Democratic Change
Circuit 5-1 Arnulfo Díaz Democratic Change
Circuit 5-2 Jaime Vargas Democratic Revolutionary Party
Circuit 6-1 Alejandro Castillero Democratic Revolutionary Party
Circuit 6-2 Julio Mendoza Democratic Revolutionary Party
Circuit 6-3 Marcos Castillero Democratic Revolutionary Party
Circuit 7-1 Eric Broce Democratic Revolutionary Party
Circuit 7-2 Olivares Frías Democratic Revolutionary Party
Circuit 8-1 Kayra Harding Democratic Revolutionary Party
Marylín Vallarino Democratic Change
Yesenia Rodríguez Panameñista Party
Circuit 8-2 Yanibel Ábrego Democratic Change
Circuit 8-3 José Herrera Democratic Change
Circuit 8-4 Roberto Ábrego Democratic Revolutionary Party
Roberto Ayala Democratic Revolutionary Party
Lilia Batista Democratic Change
Circuit 8-5 Hernán Delgado Democratic Change
Circuit 8-6 Raúl Pineda Democratic Revolutionary Party
Leandro Ávila Democratic Revolutionary Party
Zulay Rodríguez Democratic Revolutionary Party
Pancho Alemán Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement
Dalia Bernal Democratic Change
Itzi Atencio Panameñista Party
Juan Diego Vásquez Independent
Circuit 8-7 Crispiano Adames Democratic Revolutionary Party
Héctor Brands Democratic Revolutionary Party
Corina Cano Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement
Sergio "Chello" Gálvez Democratic Change
Gabriel Silva Independent
Circuit 8-8 Javier Sucre Democratic Revolutionary Party
Victor Castillo Democratic Revolutionary Party
Mayín Correa Democratic Change
Edison Broce Independent
Raúl Fernández Independent
Circuit 8-9 Alina González Democratic Revolutionary Party
Tito Rodríguez Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement
Genésis Arjona Democratic Change
Circuit 8-10 Edwin Zúñiga Democratic Change
Alaín Cedeño Democratic Change
Cenobia Vargas Democratic Revolutionary Party
Elías Vigil Panameñista Party
Circuit 9-1 Luis Rafael Cruz Democratic Revolutionary Party
Fátima Agrazal Democratic Change
Circuit 9-2 Ariel Alba Democratic Revolutionary Party
Circuit 9-3 Eugenio Bernal Democratic Revolutionary Party
Circuit 9-4 Ricardo Torres Democratic Revolutionary Party
Circuit 10-1 Petita Ayarza Democratic Revolutionary Party
Circuit 10-2 Arquesio Arias Democratic Revolutionary Party
Circuit 12-1 Leopoldo Archibold Democratic Change
Circuit 12-2 Adan Bejerano Independent
Circuit 12-3 Ricardo Santo Democratic Revolutionary Party
Source: Tribunal Electoral[33][34]

Mayoral elections

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Panama City

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CandidateParty or allianceVotes%
José Luis FábregaJoining ForcesDemocratic Revolutionary Party156,09537.87
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement19,2604.67
Total175,35542.55
Sergio GálvezChange to Wake UpDemocratic Change117,47628.50
Alliance Party11,3432.75
Total128,81931.25
Raúl Ricardo RodriguezIndependent56,63813.74
Adolfo ValderramaPanama We CanPanameñista Party32,9628.00
People's Party10,3022.50
Total43,26410.50
Diogenes SanchezBroad Front for Democracy8,0811.96
Total412,157100.00
Valid votes412,15794.37
Invalid/blank votes24,5955.63
Total votes436,752100.00
Source: Election Tribunal

San Miguelito

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CandidateParty or allianceVotes%
Hector CarrasquillaChange to Wake UpDemocratic Change51,66433.56
Alliance Party5,8723.81
Total57,53637.38
Cesar SanjurJoining ForcesDemocratic Revolutionary Party36,69323.84
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement5,4563.54
Total42,14927.38
Gerald CumberbatchPanama We CanIndependent12,8758.36
Panameñista Party9,2756.03
Total22,15014.39
Jacqueline HurtadoPeople's Party17,81011.57
Irving DominguezIndependent11,1237.23
Gilberto MarulandaBroad Front for Democracy3,1632.05
Total153,931100.00
Valid votes153,93193.58
Invalid/blank votes10,5586.42
Total votes164,489100.00
Source: Election Tribunal

Arraiján

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CandidatePartyVotes%
Rollyns RodriguezDemocratic Revolutionary Party31,97728.00
Belkis SaavedraDemocratic Change26,93423.59
Militza PalmaPeople's Party21,96919.24
Percival PiggottPanameñista Party13,95612.22
Maruquel LuqueIndependent7,2776.37
Victor GodoyIndependent4,8594.26
Ivan BerrioIndependent3,4122.99
Luis PimentelNationalist Republican Liberal Movement1,7941.57
Denis AmayaBroad Front for Democracy1,5261.34
Norma EstradaAlliance Party4890.43
Total114,193100.00
Valid votes114,19394.52
Invalid/blank votes6,6205.48
Total votes120,813100.00
Source: Election Tribunal

Colón

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CandidateParty or allianceVotes%
Alex LeeDemocratic Revolutionary Party21,82622.43
Diogenes GalvanIndependent20,02720.58
Federico PolicaniPanama We CanPanameñista Party14,51914.92
People's Party4,3884.51
Total18,90719.43
Carlos OuttenDemocratic Change15,79416.23
Enrique Brooks GalvanIndependent6,6456.83
Felipe CabezaBroad Front for Democracy5,7595.92
Cristobal GondolaNationalist Republican Liberal Movement5,4605.61
Josefina SmithAlliance Party2,8932.97
Total97,311100.00
Valid votes97,31193.25
Invalid/blank votes7,0486.75
Total votes104,359100.00
Source: Election Tribunal

La Chorrera

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CandidateParty or allianceVotes%
Tomás VelasquezJoining ForcesDemocratic Revolutionary Party31,25933.68
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement3,8684.17
Total35,12737.85
Chuin Fa ChongAlliance Party24,69626.61
Mario MuñozDemocratic Change12,96213.97
Alberto BarrancoPanama We CanPanameñista Party6,7467.27
People's Party2,6992.91
Total9,44510.18
Dario GomezIndependent9,0149.71
Armando BarriosBroad Front for Democracy1,5731.69
Total92,817100.00
Valid votes92,81792.79
Invalid/blank votes7,2117.21
Total votes100,028100.00
Source: Election Tribunal

David

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CandidateParty or allianceVotes%
Antonio ArauzDemocratic Revolutionary Party28,13236.55
Joaquín De LeónPanameñista Party19,42825.24
Karen CaballeroIndependentDemocratic Change8,21110.67
Independent4,0605.27
Total12,27115.94
Nicolás RiveraNationalist Republican Liberal Movement6,5458.50
Agustín SaldañaIndependentIndependent3,0163.92
People's Party2,5053.25
Total5,5217.17
Amael AcostaIndependent3,4604.50
Néstor CamargoAlliance Party9451.23
Tomas ArmuellesBroad Front for Democracy6660.87
Total76,968100.00
Valid votes76,96893.09
Invalid/blank votes5,7156.91
Total votes82,683100.00
Source: Election Tribunal

Santiago

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CandidateParty or allianceVotes%
Samid SandovalChange to Wake UpDemocratic Change19,10235.26
Alliance Party1,0932.02
Total20,19537.28
Edward IbarraDemocratic Revolutionary Party18,80934.72
Victor RodriguezPanameñista Party7,24513.37
Isaac RodriguezIndependent4,2337.81
Horacio FreemanNationalist Republican Liberal Movement1,7773.28
Edilso VegaIndependent1,2202.25
Santiago MurilloIndependent4600.85
Edgardo AbregoBroad Front for Democracy2370.44
Total54,176100.00
Valid votes54,17693.81
Invalid/blank votes3,5756.19
Total votes57,751100.00
Source: Election Tribunal

Notes

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  1. ^ Herrera was elected but his term was served by his alternate.[32]

References

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  1. ^ "REPUBLIC OF PANAMA - LEGISLATIVE ELECTION OF 5 MAY 2014". Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  2. ^ "IFES Election Guide | Elections: Panama Parliament 2019". www.electionguide.org. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  3. ^ Panama IFES
  4. ^ "Decree of the electoral court for the holding of elections" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-09-15. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
  5. ^ a b "Elecciones 2019: ¿quiénes ganaron?, ¿quiénes perdieron?". www.prensa.com (in Spanish). 2019-05-06. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
  6. ^ a b "La debacle del Partido Panameñista". www.prensa.com (in Spanish). 2019-05-20. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
  7. ^ "Panamá elige a Juan Carlos Varela, el peor enemigo del presidente Martinelli". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). 2014-05-05. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
  8. ^ "Varela tuvo menos 33 de aprobación en enero". Panamá América (in Spanish). 2018-02-10. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
  9. ^ Mat Youkee (May 1, 2019). "Elections 2019: Five Things to Know About Panama's May 5 Vote". Americas Quarterly. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
  10. ^ Journalists, The International Consortium of Investigative. "Giant Leak of Offshore Financial Records Exposes Global Array of Crime and Corruption - The Panama Papers". OCCRP. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
  11. ^ marpichel (2017-06-01). "Caso Odebrecht en Panamá: 36 procesados y 56 millones aprehendidos". CNN (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-05-23.
  12. ^ "El expresidente panameño Martín Torrijos fue investigado por el caso Odebrecht". France 24. 2018-07-13. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
  13. ^ Noticias, Redacción de TVN (2015-10-29). "Tras 20 días de acusación contra Martinelli por "pinchazos" Mejía aún no actúa". Tvn Panamá (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-05-23.
  14. ^ "Panamá: Tribunal anula candidaturas del expresidente Ricardo Martinelli". France 24. 2019-04-26. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
  15. ^ a b Electoral system IPU
  16. ^ "Quiénes son y qué proponen los 4 principales candidatos que se disputan la presidencia de Panamá". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  17. ^ "Laurentino Cortizo gana las primarias presidenciales del PRD". www.prensa.com (in Spanish). 2018-09-17. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  18. ^ "PRD y Molirena inscriben su alianza ante el Tribunal Electoral". www.prensa.com (in Spanish). 2018-12-31. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  19. ^ nacion.pa@epasa.com | @PanamaAmerica, Redacci\u00f3n | (2018-12-23). "PRD celebra directorio nacional extraordinario". Panamá América (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-06-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ "¿Quién es José Gabriel Carrizo Jaén, compañero de fórmula de Cortizo?". www.prensa.com (in Spanish). 2019-02-02. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  21. ^ "José Blandón gana candidatura presidencial del Partido Panameñista". www.telemetro.com (in Spanish). 2018-10-28. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  22. ^ "Partido Popular oficializa apoyo a Blandón para 2019". www.prensa.com (in Spanish). 2018-11-26. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  23. ^ "El Directorio del PP aprobó la alianza con el Partido Panameñista". www.telemetro.com (in Spanish). 2013-06-23. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  24. ^ "Nilda Quijano acompañará a Blandón en la vicepresidencia". www.laestrella.com.pa (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  25. ^ "Rómulo Roux gana candidatura presidencial de Cambio Democrático". www.telemetro.com (in Spanish). 2018-08-12. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  26. ^ Noticias, Redacción de TVN (2018-08-12). "Rómulo Roux se convierte en el candidato presidencial de Cambio Democrático". Tvn Panamá (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  27. ^ "Luis Casis, compañero de fórmula del candidato presidencial Rómulo Roux". www.prensa.com (in Spanish). 2019-02-03. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  28. ^ "José Domingo Arias gana las primarias presidenciales del Partido Alianza". www.laestrella.com.pa (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  29. ^ "Directorio del CD aprueba acuerdo con el partido Alianza". www.prensa.com (in Spanish). 2018-12-28. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  30. ^ Noticias, Redacción de TVN (2018-12-26). "'Mimito' Arias renuncia a la candidatura presidencial por el partido Alianza". Tvn Panamá (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  31. ^ "Poll Tracker: Panama's 2019 Presidential Election".
  32. ^ Espinoza, Tereza (2024-05-06). "Medio cociente y residuo los salvan: Pineda, 'Bolota' Salazar, Robinson y Gálvez se mantienen en la Asamblea". Tvn Panamá (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-05-23.
  33. ^ "DIPUTADOS GANADORES 2019" (PDF). Tribunal Electoral. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  34. ^ "Plan General de Elecciones (PLAGEL 2022-2024)". Tribunal Electoral. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
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