Bolivian Election Overview
Bolivia is holding a pivotal national election, which is widely considered one of the most consequential and unpredictable in its recent history. Voters are heading to the polls to elect a new president, vice president, and members of both the 130-member Chamber of Deputies and the 36-member Senate.
The election could mark a significant political shift, potentially ending the two-decade rule of the leftist Movement for Socialism (MAS) party. This is largely due to a fragmented left, an ongoing economic crisis, and a constitutional court ruling that barred former president Evo Morales from running for a fourth term.
Polling suggests a tight race with no single candidate likely to win outright in the first round. The two leading candidates are from the right wing:
Samuel Doria Medina: A centrist business magnate and former planning minister.
Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga: A right-wing former president.
The highest-polling left-wing candidate is Andrónico RodrÃguez, a senator who broke away from the MAS party. The official MAS candidate, Eduardo del Castillo, is not polling strongly.
If no candidate secures more than 50% of the vote, or at least 40% with a 10-point lead over the runner-up, the top two candidates will proceed to a runoff election on October 19. This would be the first presidential runoff in Bolivia's history since its return to democracy in 1982.
The election is taking place amid high tensions and an economic crisis characterized by high inflation and shortages. There are concerns that election-related turmoil could continue after the vote, especially with former president Evo Morales urging his supporters to cast null ballots in protest of his exclusion.
