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All 167 seats in the National Assembly 84 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Turnout | 25.26 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
|
Venezuelaportal |
Parliamentary elections were held in Venezuela on 4 December 2005 to elect the 167 deputies to the National Assembly of Venezuela, twelve deputies to the Latin American Parliament and five deputies to the Andean Parliament. Several days prior to the elections, five opposition parties unexpectedly withdrew, shortly after a dispute over the voting process had apparently been resolved with the support of the Organization of American States (OAS). The opposition had been expected to get around a third of the Assembly seats, or even less; the withdrawal meant the opposition were scarcely represented in the parliament at all, as the opposition parties which did not withdraw failed to win any seats. 114 seats went to the President's Fifth Republic Movement (MVR) – up from 86, [1] with the remaining 53 going to "smaller pro-Chávez parties as well as to independents and representatives of some social groups that support the government". [2]
Both the Organization of American States (OAS) and the European Union sent delegations to observe the elections. [2] In the runup to the election, there were concerns about the use of digital fingerprint scanners as part of the voting process. On 28 November the National Electoral Council (CNE), in a decision brokered by the OAS, announced that it would not use the controversial machines. Several days later five opposition parties withdrew from the elections. [2]
Both the EU and the OAS noted a widespread distrust of the National Electoral Council. "The OAS delegation noted that there remains a distrust of the CNE on the part of a significant segment of the population in terms of the origin and composition of the CNE and the perception that its actions lack transparency and impartiality." [2] The OAS recommended democratic discussion of various aspects of the electoral process to improve trust in the system.
The election proceeded largely without incident, although three small bombs were exploded in Caracas, injuring one police officer. [1]
"In the lead-up to the December 2005 election, observers predicted that the opposition would struggle to win one-third of the seats in the Assembly and that the pro-Chávez parties would win a two-thirds majority control of the legislature." [2]
Since its announcement, the process was highly criticized by Henry Ramos Allup (secretary general of Democratic Action), Teodoro Petkoff (Movement for Socialism) and Manuel Rosales (A New Era). [3] An audit was made in presence of the National Electoral Council (CNE), OAS international observers and several political parties. [4] [5] During the audit, the opposition argued that the electoral machines recorded the sequence of the votes, while fingerprint scanners recorded the information of each voter. According to Ramos Allup, the fingerprint scanners allowed the electoral agencies to know which was the choice made by the voter, as demonstrated by computer technicians in the last few days before the CNE and international observers. He also denounced that the access to the software that registers the votes and the electoral roll was restricted to opponents and observers. [6] The fingerprint scanners were altogether not connected to and in different places than the voting machines, and the lines of voters at each of the machine groups were unrelated. The opposition put forward the case that it was possible to unscramble the information, stating that cross-matching the data between the two machines could potentially show the voting details of those who voted. The reconstruction of the data is possible due to the requirement of access to the voting machines and knowledge of the password. The CNE agreed to format the data held on the voting machines as soon as these finished transmitting their precinct totals to the CNE. As long as every voting machine also printed its precinct totals, it was easy for all involved parties to check the validity of the data as reported in both instances, the printed precinct totals and the partial results reported in the CNE tallying center. [4] [5]
Both the Organization of American States (OAS) and the European Union sent delegations to observe the elections. [2] On 28 November the National Electoral Council (CNE), in a decision brokered by the OAS, announced that it would not use the controversial machines. The CNE stood by its claim that the fingerprint scanners were not usable to identify the votes. The same devices had been used on the 2004 recall referendum, and the state governors' elections that same year.
Democratic Action (Acción Democrática) withdrew from the election on 28 November, six days before the electoral process, showing its distrust of the National Electoral Council. [7] On 30 November, COPEI (the Social Christian Party of Venezuela), Project Venezuela (Proyecto Venezuela), Justice First (Primero Justicia), A New Era (Un Nuevo Tiempo) and Movement for Socialism (Movimiento al Socialismo) all withdrew from the elections too. [8] [9] The political parties represented the majority of the opposition forces in the country. [10]
The deadline for candidate withdrawal was Saturday, 3 December, at 4:00 pm. The CNE announced that not all of the boycotting political parties formally withdrew, meaning that only 10.08% of the candidates were officially out of the elections. [11] The withdrawals left most opposition parties outside the election. Red Flag Party (Partido Bandera Roja) and Democratic Left (Izquierda Democrática) participated in the election but won no seats.[ citation needed ]
The CNE announced preliminary results that showed that the pro-Chávez party Fifth Republic Movement won 114 out of 167 seats in the National Assembly, and all other seats were won by allied parties. The Fifth Republic Movement list also received 89% of the vote for the Latin American Parliament [12] and the Andean Parliament. [13] The turnout in the election was about 25% compared to 50 to 60% in previous parliamentary elections (1998 and 2000). [14]
The results were a very important issue in Venezuela, since a two-thirds majority in parliament was needed to change the constitution and the elections gave the Fifth Republic Movement a sufficient majority to change the constitution with or without the support of other political parties. [15] [16]
Party | Votes | % | Seats | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fifth Republic Movement | 1,871,860 | 55.08 | 118 | |
Unit of Election Winners | 169,433 | 4.99 | ||
For Social Democracy | 277,482 | 8.16 | 18 | |
Fatherland for All | 197,459 | 5.81 | 10 | |
Communist Party of Venezuela | 94,606 | 2.78 | 7 | |
Optimistic People | 61,789 | 1.82 | 1 | |
Venezuelan Popular Unity | 46,232 | 1.36 | 1 | |
Tupamaro | 42,893 | 1.26 | 0 | |
People's Electoral Movement | 38,690 | 1.14 | 1 | |
Independents for National Community | 31,144 | 0.92 | 0 | |
MIGATO | 25,710 | 0.76 | 1 | |
Mobare 200-4F | 22,995 | 0.68 | 0 | |
Militant Civic Movement | 21,012 | 0.62 | 0 | |
Movement of Integration for the People | 20,482 | 0.60 | 2 | |
Radical Cause | 18,960 | 0.56 | 0 | |
Republican Movement | 18,601 | 0.55 | 0 | |
United for Human Rights | 18,208 | 0.54 | 0 | |
Only One People | 15,981 | 0.47 | 0 | |
Justice First | 15,939 | 0.47 | 0 | |
National Salvation Movement | 14,139 | 0.42 | 0 | |
Emerging Popele | 12,924 | 0.38 | 0 | |
Socialist League | 11,930 | 0.35 | 0 | |
PVL | 11,342 | 0.33 | 0 | |
Social Independent Alliance of Sucre | 10,515 | 0.31 | 0 | |
United Movement of Indigenous Peoples | 10,493 | 0.31 | 1 | |
Network of People | 9,840 | 0.29 | 0 | |
Patriotic Union | 9,128 | 0.27 | 0 | |
Movement for Socialism | 9,118 | 0.27 | 0 | |
Organised Independent Front for Portuguesa | 9,042 | 0.27 | 1 | |
Labour Power | 8,272 | 0.24 | 0 | |
Democratic Action | 8,000 | 0.24 | 0 | |
Active Nationalist Democracy Organisation | 7,868 | 0.23 | 0 | |
Agricultural Action | 7,843 | 0.23 | 0 | |
Popular Front | 6,885 | 0.20 | 0 | |
Independent Electoral Political Organisation Committee | 6,730 | 0.20 | 0 | |
Independent Movement for Maracaibo | 6,213 | 0.18 | 0 | |
Independent Movement for Zulia | 6,058 | 0.18 | 0 | |
Alternative Revolutionary Independent Movement of Guarico | 5,808 | 0.17 | 0 | |
Project Venezuela | 5,645 | 0.17 | 0 | |
RZ-2021 | 5,158 | 0.15 | 0 | |
Patriotic Union of Carabobo | 4,899 | 0.14 | 0 | |
Open the Gap | 4,599 | 0.14 | 1 | |
Movement for Direct Democracy | 4,553 | 0.13 | 0 | |
Dialogue | 4,365 | 0.13 | 0 | |
For the Love of the City | 3,667 | 0.11 | 0 | |
Free Voters | 3,604 | 0.11 | 0 | |
Renewing Democracy | 3,490 | 0.10 | 0 | |
Solution | 3,391 | 0.10 | 0 | |
United Youth in National Action with Bimba | 3,357 | 0.10 | 0 | |
Independent Organisation for Reunification and Stability | 3,220 | 0.09 | 0 | |
Frutos Regional Party | 3,209 | 0.09 | 0 | |
Let Us Break Chains | 3,194 | 0.09 | 0 | |
United Multi-Ethnic Peoples of Amazonas | 3,180 | 0.09 | 1 | |
Independent Ethnic Rescue with Alternative Ideals | 3,102 | 0.09 | 0 | |
Consensus | 2,928 | 0.09 | 0 | |
Rebirth | 2,911 | 0.09 | 0 | |
New Dawn | 2,836 | 0.08 | 0 | |
Democratic Republican Union | 2,776 | 0.08 | 0 | |
National Opinion | 2,774 | 0.08 | 0 | |
Red Flag Party | 2,691 | 0.08 | 0 | |
New Day | 2,680 | 0.08 | 0 | |
Movement of New People | 2,635 | 0.08 | 0 | |
Portuguesa is First | 2,582 | 0.08 | 0 | |
Independent Solidarity | 2,484 | 0.07 | 0 | |
Revolution in the Region | 2,333 | 0.07 | 0 | |
National Integration Front | 2,321 | 0.07 | 0 | |
Movement of Participation and Protagonism of the People | 2,296 | 0.07 | 0 | |
Centre | 2,282 | 0.07 | 0 | |
HALCOM | 2,188 | 0.06 | 0 | |
Democrat Party | 2,173 | 0.06 | 0 | |
MISOLA Party | 2,163 | 0.06 | 0 | |
Indigenous Parliament of Venezuela | 2,138 | 0.06 | 0 | |
FRD | 2,084 | 0.06 | 0 | |
Venezuela First | 1,961 | 0.06 | 0 | |
Cojedes Regional Force of Integration | 1,908 | 0.06 | 0 | |
Solidarity | 1,883 | 0.06 | 0 | |
Movimiento Conciencia de País | 1,788 | 0.05 | 0 | |
Zamoranos de Venezuela Patria y Vida | 1,750 | 0.05 | 0 | |
Popular Organization for Work and Revolutionary Action | 1,672 | 0.05 | 0 | |
Left | 1,646 | 0.05 | 0 | |
Labour Movement | 1,578 | 0.05 | 0 | |
LGP | 1,567 | 0.05 | 0 | |
LG | 1,522 | 0.04 | 0 | |
PRR | 1,522 | 0.04 | 0 | |
Electoral Generation of Monagüense Integrity | 1,489 | 0.04 | 0 | |
FAI | 1,442 | 0.04 | 0 | |
MPSDCP | 1,430 | 0.04 | 0 | |
Movimiento Independiente Revolucionario Alternativo | 1,280 | 0.04 | 0 | |
Venezuelan Revolutionary Currents | 1,225 | 0.04 | 0 | |
AZ | 1,191 | 0.04 | 0 | |
Volunteers for Democracy | 1,190 | 0.04 | 0 | |
MAPV Party | 1,163 | 0.03 | 0 | |
Constructors of a Country | 1,159 | 0.03 | 0 | |
PDI | 1,149 | 0.03 | 0 | |
Jose Hernandez IP | 1,131 | 0.03 | 0 | |
PODER 7 | 1,120 | 0.03 | 0 | |
Third Millennium Venezuela | 1,081 | 0.03 | 0 | |
OFI | 1,050 | 0.03 | 0 | |
CD | 1,036 | 0.03 | 0 | |
Organised Youth of Venezuela | 1,007 | 0.03 | 0 | |
MT | 989 | 0.03 | 0 | |
National Party | 952 | 0.03 | 0 | |
Independent Community Organized Movement | 923 | 0.03 | 0 | |
21st Century Movement | 923 | 0.03 | 0 | |
NED | 895 | 0.03 | 0 | |
Community Change Response Networks | 885 | 0.03 | 0 | |
NE | 883 | 0.03 | 0 | |
MPRCOL | 845 | 0.02 | 0 | |
FUVE | 831 | 0.02 | 0 | |
PROSOYAR | 814 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Militant Compromise | 810 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Neighbourhood Community Movement | 794 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Independent Organized Generation of Electoral Tactics | 774 | 0.02 | 0 | |
MRGD | 767 | 0.02 | 0 | |
ESO | 753 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Urgencia Solidaria de Transformación Estadal Democrática | 749 | 0.02 | 0 | |
The Spark | 720 | 0.02 | 0 | |
UPR | 706 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Deltana Justice | 703 | 0.02 | 0 | |
UNI | 703 | 0.02 | 0 | |
National Democracy Party | 701 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Testimonio Optimista Neoespartano Generador de Oportunidades | 665 | 0.02 | 0 | |
PA | 662 | 0.02 | 0 | |
FLACSI | 661 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Neighbourhood Activity Political Party | 655 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Liberal Force | 644 | 0.02 | 0 | |
FVI | 626 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Vision Venezuela | 615 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Authentic Renewal Organization | 606 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Together for Trujillo Movement | 601 | 0.02 | 0 | |
New Pact | 599 | 0.02 | 0 | |
United for the State of Monagas | 589 | 0.02 | 0 | |
MIODUDO | 587 | 0.02 | 0 | |
MH | 580 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Communal Alliance of Miranda | 574 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Growing Vision | 560 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Movement of National Action | 559 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Independente Popular Alliance | 553 | 0.02 | 0 | |
United Front Movement | 545 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Experiencia Social Tenacidad Adelante Nosotros Ganamos | 541 | 0.02 | 0 | |
COAS | 518 | 0.02 | 0 | |
ARDE | 511 | 0.02 | 0 | |
Socialist Left Party | 507 | 0.01 | 0 | |
National Independent Union of Social Organizations | 505 | 0.01 | 0 | |
MOE | 491 | 0.01 | 0 | |
OI | 486 | 0.01 | 0 | |
We Are Vargas Independent Movement | 483 | 0.01 | 0 | |
MOMASO | 474 | 0.01 | 0 | |
PCH | 469 | 0.01 | 0 | |
AAmazonian Citizen Action | 468 | 0.01 | 0 | |
MOMUDEMI | 468 | 0.01 | 0 | |
PTC | 468 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Patriotic Union of Guarico | 451 | 0.01 | 0 | |
FURPAR | 448 | 0.01 | 0 | |
FELO | 443 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Marlene Diaz IP | 440 | 0.01 | 0 | |
REACA | 436 | 0.01 | 0 | |
GETION | 425 | 0.01 | 0 | |
MIVO | 425 | 0.01 | 0 | |
National Independent Organization | 425 | 0.01 | 0 | |
TUV | 418 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Civil Society 95 | 417 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Independents for Venezuela Party | 416 | 0.01 | 0 | |
LAP | 414 | 0.01 | 0 | |
TIO | 408 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Nationalist Civic Crusade | 406 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Project Carabobo | 406 | 0.01 | 0 | |
The People Advance | 403 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Republican Vanguard Force | 399 | 0.01 | 0 | |
FURE 2003 | 390 | 0.01 | 0 | |
LPBUENA | 388 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Renovación Organizada Grupo Emergente | 388 | 0.01 | 0 | |
EB | 379 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Amigos de Alianza Libertadora Independente | 378 | 0.01 | 0 | |
RIN | 375 | 0.01 | 0 | |
PANV | 369 | 0.01 | 0 | |
MRG2000 | 365 | 0.01 | 0 | |
MLiberal United People's Movement | 363 | 0.01 | 0 | |
National Authentic Party | 362 | 0.01 | 0 | |
PRE‐VE | 357 | 0.01 | 0 | |
MARADE | 355 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Caroni Decides | 352 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Popular Youth Rising | 348 | 0.01 | 0 | |
URM 2021 | 342 | 0.01 | 0 | |
ORECOM | 341 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Independent Revolutionary Union | 340 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Independents for Venezuela | 336 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Federal Republican Party | 326 | 0.01 | 0 | |
ED | 323 | 0.01 | 0 | |
VINE | 320 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Organised Independent Party | 317 | 0.01 | 0 | |
TC | 315 | 0.01 | 0 | |
The Alliance | 310 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Popular Christian Movement | 308 | 0.01 | 0 | |
PORD | 308 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Luces | 299 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Independents to 2000 | 296 | 0.01 | 0 | |
MORAL | 295 | 0.01 | 0 | |
MIL | 289 | 0.01 | 0 | |
REALCI | 284 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Avanagua Party | 276 | 0.01 | 0 | |
UBARI | 274 | 0.01 | 0 | |
IPGENERO | 267 | 0.01 | 0 | |
MOVELA | 265 | 0.01 | 0 | |
RDP | 265 | 0.01 | 0 | |
National Rescue | 265 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Independent Amazonian Indigenous Movement | 262 | 0.01 | 0 | |
RESISTE | 260 | 0.01 | 0 | |
GEP | 258 | 0.01 | 0 | |
UREVAR | 257 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Sandinista Renewal Movement | 253 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Rumbo Seguro | 252 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Caduaico Party | 250 | 0.01 | 0 | |
My People of Aragua Movement | 250 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Centro Histórico Ético De Opinión | 249 | 0.01 | 0 | |
RASA | 249 | 0.01 | 0 | |
CER | 248 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Strength with Cati | 248 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Municipal Action | 247 | 0.01 | 0 | |
ARI | 247 | 0.01 | 0 | |
PUNTO | 243 | 0.01 | 0 | |
PILA | 241 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Moral Reserve | 238 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Independent Candidate | 235 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Social Cause | 231 | 0.01 | 0 | |
DMAA | 225 | 0.01 | 0 | |
OPC 98 | 225 | 0.01 | 0 | |
HP | 222 | 0.01 | 0 | |
El Barrio | 219 | 0.01 | 0 | |
MJV | 218 | 0.01 | 0 | |
MIPREA | 217 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Propuesta Independiente Local Organizado Naciente | 213 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Rodolfo Parra IP | 209 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Epales | 208 | 0.01 | 0 | |
UNEI | 207 | 0.01 | 0 | |
VE | 207 | 0.01 | 0 | |
MLI | 205 | 0.01 | 0 | |
CA | 203 | 0.01 | 0 | |
FIMP | 202 | 0.01 | 0 | |
FUCI | 202 | 0.01 | 0 | |
POP | 202 | 0.01 | 0 | |
BIEM | 200 | 0.01 | 0 | |
MIVEy | 200 | 0.01 | 0 | |
FUERTE | 193 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Mirandan People | 193 | 0.01 | 0 | |
PEI | 191 | 0.01 | 0 | |
CF | 190 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Independent Movement | 190 | 0.01 | 0 | |
LAC | 189 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Popular Base | 188 | 0.01 | 0 | |
COIN | 183 | 0.01 | 0 | |
MIO | 183 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Advanced Regional Movement | 176 | 0.01 | 0 | |
Ideal | 174 | 0.01 | 0 | |
EPSA | 168 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Arcomun | 162 | 0.00 | 0 | |
PFPy | 160 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Civic Democratic Front | 158 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Guaraira Party | 154 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Aserne Party | 152 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Yaracuy Movimos | 148 | 0.00 | 0 | |
AV-98 | 146 | 0.00 | 0 | |
The Third Way | 142 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Popular Tribune | 139 | 0.00 | 0 | |
DS | 138 | 0.00 | 0 | |
RRP | 138 | 0.00 | 0 | |
MEA | 136 | 0.00 | 0 | |
PG | 135 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Justicia, Rectitud, Lealtad | 125 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Ritmo | 122 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Bolivarian Military Civic Front | 119 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Nosotros Organizados Elegimos | 119 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Migdonio Barrios- IP | 115 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Communal Alliance of Guárico | 112 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Citizens United for Democracy | 109 | 0.00 | 0 | |
LD | 109 | 0.00 | 0 | |
UFS | 109 | 0.00 | 0 | |
People of Vargas | 108 | 0.00 | 0 | |
TANETANE | 101 | 0.00 | 0 | |
UCP | 100 | 0.00 | 0 | |
G-2000 | 95 | 0.00 | 0 | |
New Direction of Amazonas | 93 | 0.00 | 0 | |
IS | 87 | 0.00 | 0 | |
UNEA | 85 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Citizen Force | 84 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Popular Democratic Force | 82 | 0.00 | 0 | |
AB‐2000 | 80 | 0.00 | 0 | |
UNA POBA | 76 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Teofilio Araya IP | 72 | 0.00 | 0 | |
PRID | 68 | 0.00 | 0 | |
MISOL | 67 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Oriente | 63 | 0.00 | 0 | |
PAR | 60 | 0.00 | 0 | |
New Party | 59 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Famay | 58 | 0.00 | 0 | |
Andi | 57 | 0.00 | 0 | |
MIIO | 57 | 0.00 | 0 | |
BS-‐21 Party | 49 | 0.00 | 0 | |
PCYVSNE | 48 | 0.00 | 0 | |
PNL | 42 | 0.00 | 0 | |
MIADELA | 23 | 0.00 | 0 | |
POPA | 8 | 0.00 | 0 | |
PISF | 6 | 0.00 | 0 | |
AMANSA | 1 | |||
Indigenous seats | 3 | |||
Total | 3,398,567 | 100.00 | 167 | |
Valid votes | 3,398,567 | 94.28 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | 206,174 | 5.72 | ||
Total votes | 3,604,741 | 100.00 | ||
Registered voters/turnout | 14,272,964 | 25.26 | ||
Source: Election Passport, CNE, OPLAL |
The opposition and international observers said that the abstention rate of about 75% demonstrated a deep distrust in the electoral process and the Chávez government.
After the elections, divisions emerged over the last minute withdrawal from the elections. Primero Justicia followers in particular regretted missing the opportunity to be seen as the major opposition after the withdrawal of Democratic Action and COPEI. [17]
"The move surprised election officials, and some reports indicate that international observers were unhappy that the opposition had reneged on a commitment to participate in the elections if the digital fingerprint machines were not used." [2] "In particular, the EU stated the CNE's decision to eliminate the digital fingerprint devices from the voting process was timely, effective, and constructive, and noted with surprise the opposition's withdrawal just four days before the election." [2] The OAS criticized the withdrawal, saying that democracy requires an opposition committed to the electoral process. [2]
The New York Times said that "The opposition decision appeared to be aimed at appealing to international support and discrediting Venezuela's government, which has strong approval ratings." [10] José Miguel Vivanco, the Americas director of Human Rights Watch, was quoted as saying "It's really hard to understand what exactly the political opposition leadership has in mind. But certainly it is not going to help them to present themselves as victims that deserve solidarity from the international community. With these kinds of tactics I don't think they'll gain any ground." [10]
The National Electoral Council is one of the five branches of government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela that was designed to be loyal to revolution. It is the institution that has the responsibility of overseeing and guaranteeing the transparency of all elections and referendums in Venezuela at the local, regional, and national levels. The creation of the CNE was ratified in Venezuela's 1999 constitutional referendum. Following the election of Nicolás Maduro into the presidency, the CNE has been described, by the president's opponents, as being pro-Maduro.
The Venezuelan recall referendum of 15 August 2004 was a referendum to determine whether Hugo Chávez, then President of Venezuela, should be recalled from office. The recall referendum was announced on 8 June 2004 by the National Electoral Council (CNE) after the Venezuelan opposition succeeded in collecting the number of signatures required by the 1999 Constitution to effect a recall. The result of the referendum was not to recall Chávez.
Elections in Venezuela are held at a national level for the President of Venezuela as head of state and head of government, and for a unicameral legislature. The President of Venezuela is elected for a six-year term by direct election plurality voting, and is eligible for re-election. The National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional) has 277 members (diputados), elected for five-year terms using a mixed-member majoritarian representation system. Elections also take place at state level and local level.
Presidential elections were held in Venezuela on 3 December 2006 to elect a president for a six-year term to begin on 10 January 2007. The contest was primarily between incumbent President Hugo Chávez, and Zulia Governor Manuel Rosales of the opposition party A New Era.
Regional elections were held in Venezuela on 23 November 2008 to choose 22 governors and 2 metropolitan mayors. The candidates were selected for a term beginning in 2008 and ending in 2012, when the next regional elections will be held. The 2008 regional elections were the second during the government of Hugo Chávez Frías and the first since he founded the United Socialist Party.
The 2010 parliamentary election in Venezuela took place on 26 September 2010 to elect the 165 deputies to the National Assembly. Venezuelan opposition parties, which had boycotted the previous election thus allowing the governing Fifth Republic Movement (MVR) to gain a two-thirds super majority, participated in the election through the Coalition for Democratic Unity (MUD). In 2007 the Fifth Republic Movement dissolved and the United Socialist Party of Venezuela was formed as the leading government party. Nationally, the popular vote was split equally between PSUV and MUD, but PSUV won a majority of the first-past-the-post seats and consequently retained a substantial majority in the Assembly, although falling short of both two-thirds and three-fifths super majority marks.
Regional elections were held in Venezuela on 31 October 2004 to elect 22 governors and 2 metropolitan mayors for a four-year term beginning in 2004 and ending in 2008, when the next regional elections were held. The elections were originally scheduled for 26 September 2004, but faced technical issues and an application for annulment requested by the opposition, and were held under high political pressure after the events of the recall referendum of August 2004. The ongoing political crisis in the country and the proximity of the two electoral processes marked the environment of the elections, which were won by the candidates supported by the president, Hugo Chavez.
The Democratic Unity Roundtable was a catch-all electoral coalition of Venezuelan political parties formed in January 2008 to unify the opposition to President Hugo Chávez's United Socialist Party of Venezuela in the 2010 Venezuelan parliamentary election. A previous opposition umbrella group, the Coordinadora Democrática, had collapsed after the failure of the 2004 Venezuelan recall referendum.
Presidential elections were held in Venezuela on 7 October 2012 to choose a president for a six-year term beginning in January 2013.
Presidential elections were held in Venezuela on 14 April 2013 following the death of President Hugo Chávez on 5 March 2013. Nicolás Maduro—who had assumed the role of acting president since Chávez's death—was declared winner with a narrow victory over his opponent Henrique Capriles, the Governor of Miranda. Capriles had run in the previous election less than a year before, losing to Chávez by an 11-point margin. This time the margin of victory was much smaller, and thus became the closest presidential election of the country since the 1968 election.
Parliamentary elections were held in Venezuela on 6 December 2015 to elect the 164 deputies and three indigenous representatives of the National Assembly. They were the fourth parliamentary elections to take place after the 1999 constitution, which abolished the bicameral system in favour of a unicameral parliament, and the first to take place after the death of President Hugo Chávez. Despite predictions from the opposition of a possible last-minute cancellation, the elections took place as scheduled, with the majority of polls showing the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) holding a wide lead over the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and its wider alliance, the Great Patriotic Pole (GPP).
Presidential elections were held in Venezuela on 20 May 2018, with incumbent Nicolás Maduro being declared re-elected for a second six-year term. The original electoral date was scheduled for December 2018 but was subsequently pulled ahead to 22 April before being pushed back to 20 May. Some analysts described the poll as a sham election, as many prominent opposition parties had been barred from participating in it. The elections had the lowest voter turnout in Venezuela's democratic era.
Regional elections were held in Venezuela on 15 October 2017 to elect the executive position of all 23 federal entities. This marked the first state executive election not held on the same date as elections for state legislatures, and the second separate from municipal elections. They were the 9th regional elections held in Venezuela since 1989.
Municipal elections were held in Venezuela on 10 December 2017, to elect 335 mayors throughout Venezuela, as well as the governor of the state of Zulia. This was the first municipal election held since 2013, when elections were delayed from 2012 following the death of Hugo Chávez. The election resulted in many members of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela being elected as heads of municipal governments throughout Venezuela.
Parliamentary elections were held in Venezuela on 6 December 2020. Aside from the 167 deputies of the National Assembly who are eligible to be re-elected, the new National Electoral Council president announced that the assembly would increase by 110 seats, for a total of 277 deputies to be elected.
Presidential elections were held in Venezuela on 28 July 2024 to choose a president for a six-year term beginning on 10 January 2025. The election has been politically contentious, with international monitors calling it neither free nor fair, citing the incumbent Maduro administration having controlled most institutions and repressed the political opposition before and during the election.
Regional and municipal elections were held in Venezuela on 21 November 2021. In the elections, all executive and legislative positions of the 23 federal entities, as well as that of the 335 municipalities of the country, were renewed.
A process to hold a recall referendum to vote on recalling Maduro was started on May 2, 2016. On that date, opposition leaders in Venezuela handed in a petition to the National Electoral Council (CNE) that started a several stage process. The Venezuelan government stated that if enough signatures were collected, a recall vote would be held no sooner than 2017. On 21 October 2016, the CNE suspended the referendum days before preliminary signature-gatherings were to be held.
Venezuelan opposition to the Chavista governments of former President Hugo Chávez and current President Nicolás Maduro, commonly referred to as the Venezuelan opposition, or sometimes, anti-Chavismo, is a political umbrella term used to describe political, social and religious movements that have opposed Chavismo, and the associated Bolivarian Revolution political process since 2 February 1999.
A brawl in the National Assembly of Venezuela took place on 30 April 2013 at the Federal Legislative Palace, in Caracas, after opposition deputies who did not recognize the results of the 2013 presidential elections and the ruling party's candidate Nicolás Maduro as president were denied the right to speak for the second consecutive ordinary session. The brawl resulted in at least 11 deputies injured.
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