Panamanian general election, 2009
Encyclopedia
Presidential and parliamentary elections were held in Panama
on May 3, 2009.
The government-supported presidential candidate and member of the Democratic Revolutionary Party
(PRD) was the former Housing Minister Balbina Herrera
. The Liberal Party and the People's Party
were in alliance with the PRD, in support of Ms. Herrera.
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
.
Guillermo Endara
, former Panamanian president from 1989 to 1994, ran as the candidate for the Fatherland's Moral Vanguard Party
.
Polls in 2009 saw Martinelli as the favorite to win the election. The last polls before a black-out on election polls showed Martinelli ahead with 49%, versus 34% for Herrera, 3% for Guillermo Endara, 2% null votes and 11% blank votes.
Preliminary results showed Martinelli had a 60% share of the result in the presidential election, well ahead of Herrera who had 37% and of Endara who was a distant third. Martinelli was declared the winner after 43.68% of the votes had been counted. Martinelli will assume the office of the president on 1 July 2009.
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
on May 3, 2009.
The government-supported presidential candidate and member of the Democratic Revolutionary Party
Democratic Revolutionary Party
The Democratic Revolutionary Party is a Panamanian political party. It was founded in 1979 by the General Omar Torrijos, and is generally described as a party of the centre-left of the political spectrum.-History and creation:...
(PRD) was the former Housing Minister Balbina Herrera
Balbina Herrera
Balbina Del Carmen Herrera Araúz is a Panamanian politician and presidential candidate in the Panamanian general election, 2009. On May 3, 2009, she lost the race to the presidency of the Republic of Panama to center-right candidate Ricardo Martinelli....
. The Liberal Party and the People's Party
People's Party (Panama)
The People's Party was founded in the early 1960s. It was the main opposition party during the dictatorship of Manuel Noriega. The party supported Martín Torrijos in the presidential election of 2004...
were in alliance with the PRD, in support of Ms. Herrera.
Ricardo Martinelli
Ricardo Martinelli
Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Berrocal is a Panamanian politician and businessman who was elected the 49th President of Panama in 2009. He is a Panamanian of Italian descent from his father's side.- Early life :...
was the candidate of the opposition Democratic Change, also supported by the Patriotic Union Party
Patriotic Union Party (Panama)
The Patriotic Union is a political party in Panama. It was formed when the National Liberal Party and the Solidarity Party merged.The party's current president is Guillermo Ford...
, the Panameñista Party
Panameñista Party
- Founding and early history :The party is the oldest in Panama. It was founded in 1932 by Arnulfo Arias Madrid, a prominent medical , as the National Revolutionary Party. Its membership largely came from Patriotic Communal Action, a nationalist organization that opposed the large amount of...
and the Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement
Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement
The Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement is a center-to-right, pro-business liberal political party in Panama....
.
Guillermo Endara
Guillermo Endara
Guillermo David Endara Galimany was the President of Panama from 1989 to 1994. He ran for office in 2004 and 2009 but lost to the former President Martin Torrijos and to the incumbent President Ricardo Martinelli....
, former Panamanian president from 1989 to 1994, ran as the candidate for the Fatherland's Moral Vanguard Party
Fatherland's Moral Vanguard Party
Vanguardia Moral de la Patria is a relatively new Panamanian political party led by Guillermo Endara who was a candidate for the presidential elections of 2009....
.
Polls in 2009 saw Martinelli as the favorite to win the election. The last polls before a black-out on election polls showed Martinelli ahead with 49%, versus 34% for Herrera, 3% for Guillermo Endara, 2% null votes and 11% blank votes.
Preliminary results showed Martinelli had a 60% share of the result in the presidential election, well ahead of Herrera who had 37% and of Endara who was a distant third. Martinelli was declared the winner after 43.68% of the votes had been counted. Martinelli will assume the office of the president on 1 July 2009.
Presidential election results
| Candidate | Party/Alliance | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ricardo Martinelli Ricardo Martinelli Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Berrocal is a Panamanian politician and businessman who was elected the 49th President of Panama in 2009. He is a Panamanian of Italian descent from his father's side.- Early life :... |
Alliance for Change (APC) | 952,333 | 60.03% |
| Democratic Change (PCD) | 509,986 | 32.15% | |
| Panameñista Party Panameñista Party - Founding and early history :The party is the oldest in Panama. It was founded in 1932 by Arnulfo Arias Madrid, a prominent medical , as the National Revolutionary Party. Its membership largely came from Patriotic Communal Action, a nationalist organization that opposed the large amount of... (PAN) |
293,554 | 18.50% | |
| Patriotic Union Patriotic Union Patriotic Union is a name held by political parties in some countries:*Patriotic Union *Patriotic Union *Spanish Patriotic Union... (UP) |
53,952 | 03.40% | |
| National Liberal Republican Movement (MOLIRENA) | 94,841 | 05.98% | |
| Balbina Herrera Balbina Herrera Balbina Del Carmen Herrera Araúz is a Panamanian politician and presidential candidate in the Panamanian general election, 2009. On May 3, 2009, she lost the race to the presidency of the Republic of Panama to center-right candidate Ricardo Martinelli.... |
One Country for All (UPPT) | 597,227 | 37.65% |
| Democratic Revolutionary Party Democratic Revolutionary Party The Democratic Revolutionary Party is a Panamanian political party. It was founded in 1979 by the General Omar Torrijos, and is generally described as a party of the centre-left of the political spectrum.-History and creation:... (PRD) |
553,974 | 34.92% | |
| People's Party Christian Democratic Party (Panama) The Christian Democratic Party , now People's Party is a Panamanian Christian democratic centre-right political party, one of Latin America's most conservative and anti-communist Christian Democratic parties.The ideological foundation of the party is based on the social doctrine of the Catholic... (PP) |
35,459 | 02.24% | |
| Liberal Party (PL) | 7,794 | 00.49% | |
| Guillermo Endara Guillermo Endara Guillermo David Endara Galimany was the President of Panama from 1989 to 1994. He ran for office in 2004 and 2009 but lost to the former President Martin Torrijos and to the incumbent President Ricardo Martinelli.... |
Fatherland's Moral Vanguard Party Fatherland's Moral Vanguard Party Vanguardia Moral de la Patria is a relatively new Panamanian political party led by Guillermo Endara who was a candidate for the presidential elections of 2009.... (VMP) |
36,867 | 02.32% |
| Total valid votes | 1,586,427 | 100% | |
| Spoilt and invalid votes | 50,081 | 03.06% | |
| Total votes/Turnout | 1,636,508 | 74.01% | |
| Registered voters | 2,211,261 | ||
Legislative election results
| Parties and alliances | Votes/districts | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alliance for Change (APC) | 842,667 | 56.01% | 42 |
| Democratic Change Party (PCD) | 352,319 | 23.42% | 14 |
| Panameñista Party Panameñista Party - Founding and early history :The party is the oldest in Panama. It was founded in 1932 by Arnulfo Arias Madrid, a prominent medical , as the National Revolutionary Party. Its membership largely came from Patriotic Communal Action, a nationalist organization that opposed the large amount of... (PAN) |
334,282 | 22.22% | 22 |
| Patriotic Union Patriotic Union Patriotic Union is a name held by political parties in some countries:*Patriotic Union *Patriotic Union *Spanish Patriotic Union... (UP) |
85,609 | 05.69% | 04 |
| National Liberal Republican Movement (MOLIRENA) | 70,457 | 04.68% | 02 |
| One Country for All (UPPT) | 611,135 | 40.63% | 27 |
| Democratic Revolutionary Party Democratic Revolutionary Party The Democratic Revolutionary Party is a Panamanian political party. It was founded in 1979 by the General Omar Torrijos, and is generally described as a party of the centre-left of the political spectrum.-History and creation:... (PRD) |
537,426 | 35.73% | 26 |
| People's Party Christian Democratic Party (Panama) The Christian Democratic Party , now People's Party is a Panamanian Christian democratic centre-right political party, one of Latin America's most conservative and anti-communist Christian Democratic parties.The ideological foundation of the party is based on the social doctrine of the Catholic... (PP) |
55,598 | 03.70% | 01 |
| Liberal Party (PL) | 18,111 | 01.20% | 00 |
| Fatherland's Moral Vanguard Party Fatherland's Moral Vanguard Party Vanguardia Moral de la Patria is a relatively new Panamanian political party led by Guillermo Endara who was a candidate for the presidential elections of 2009.... (VMP) |
14,760 | 00.98% | 00 |
| Independents | 35,793 | 02.38% | 02 |
| Total valid votes | 1,504,355 | 100% | 71 |
| Spoilt and invalid votes | 99,582 | 06.21% | |
| Total votes/Turnout | 1,603,937 | 72.53% | |
| Registered voters | 2,211,261 | ||