2009 Panamanian general election

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2009 Panamanian general election
Flag of Panama.svg
  2004 3 May 2009 (2009-05-03) 2014  
Presidential election
Turnout74.01% (Decrease2.svg 2.87pp)
  Ricardo Martinelli.PNG Balbinaherrera (cropped).jpg
Nominee Ricardo Martinelli Balbina Herrera
Party CD PRD
AllianceAlliance for ChangeOne Country for All
Popular vote952,333597,227
Percentage60.03%37.65%

Elecciones Panama Resultados 2009.png
Provinces won by Martinelli in aqua, by Herrera in blue.

President before election

Martín Torrijos
PRD

Elected President

Ricardo Martinelli
CD

General elections were held in Panama on May 3, 2009. [1]

Contents

Presidential race

Balbina Herrera was the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) candidate for President of Panama. She had previously served as President of the National Assembly during the Mireya Moscoso presidency, [2] and Housing Minister under outgoing president Martin Torrijos. [3] Herrera won her party's primary on September 7, 2008, defeating Panama City Mayor Juan Carlos Navarro with a ten-point lead. [3] The Liberal Party and the People's Party were in alliance with the PRD in support of Herrera.[ citation needed ] Herrera was also endorsed by Ruben Blades, a popular salsa musician who had previously run for president and served as Torrijos' Minister of Tourism, [4] and was initially considered the favorite for the presidency. [5] If elected, she would have become Panama's second female president. [3]

Ricardo Martinelli was the candidate of the opposition Democratic Change, also supported by the Patriotic Union Party, the Panameñista Party and the Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement. Martinelli was a successful businessman, and was the chairman of the board of Panama's Super 99 supermarket chain. [6] During the presidency of Ernesto Pérez Balladares, Martinelli had served as Director of Social Security from 1994 to 1996. [5] From September 1999 to January 2003, he had served in the Moscoso Administration as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Panama Canal and as the Minister for Canal Affairs. [5]

Guillermo Endara, former Panamanian president from 1989 to 1994, ran as the candidate for the Fatherland's Moral Vanguard Party. [7]

Though initially the favorite, [5] Herrera was damaged in the election by her links to former military ruler Manuel Noriega [4] and by the perception that she was a "Chavista", a supporter of leftist Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. [7] Martinelli was also helped by strong support from the business community and his campaign promise of "real change" resonated among poor voters. [5]

On May 3, 2009, Martinelli won the national elections by a landslide, with over 60% of the votes compared to Herrera, who received about 36%. Former president Guillermo Endara finished a distant third. [7] Martinelli was declared the winner after 43.68% of the votes had been counted.[ citation needed ] This was the second-largest majority in Panamanian history, and the largest since 1989. [8] It was also the first time since 1989 that the winning candidate was not a member of the PRD or Panameñista Party. Martinelli's victory was an exception to a trend of victories for left-leaning Latin American candidates. [4] He was sworn in on July 1, 2009. [9]

Results

President

CandidateParty or allianceVotes%
Ricardo Martinelli Alliance for Change Democratic Change 509,98632.15
Panameñista Party 293,55418.50
Patriotic Union 53,9523.40
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement 94,8415.98
Total952,33360.03
Balbina Herrera One Country for All Democratic Revolutionary Party 553,97434.92
People's Party 35,4592.24
Liberal Party 7,7940.49
Total597,22737.65
Guillermo Endara Moral Vanguard of the Fatherland 36,8672.32
Total1,586,427100.00
Valid votes1,586,42796.94
Invalid/blank votes50,0813.06
Total votes1,636,508100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,211,26174.01
Source: Tribunal Electoral

Legislative Assembly

Panamanian Assembly (By Party) 2009.svg
Party or allianceVotes%Seats
Alliance for Change Democratic Change 352,31923.4214
Panameñista Party 334,28222.2222
Patriotic Union 85,6095.694
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement 70,4574.682
Total842,66756.0242
One Country for All Democratic Revolutionary Party 537,42635.7226
People's Party 55,5983.701
Liberal Party 18,1111.200
Total611,13540.6227
Moral Vanguard of the Fatherland 14,7600.980
Independents35,7932.382
Total1,504,355100.0071
Valid votes1,504,35593.79
Invalid/blank votes99,5826.21
Total votes1,603,937100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,211,26172.53
Source: Tribunal Electoral

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