Salvadoran legislative election, 2003
Encyclopedia
The 2003 Salvadoran legislative election took place in El Salvador
on 16 March 2003 to elect 84 deputies
to the Legislative Assembly
for a term of three years. The main opposition party, the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front
(FMLN), won the most seats in election at 31. However the governing Nationalist Republican Alliance
(ARENA) won enough seats to continue in government with the Party of National Conciliation
(PCN).
since winning the 1989 presidential election
. The 2003 legislative election was the fifth election since the ending of the Salvadoran Civil War in 1992.
contested the election but it was seen as being primarily between ARENA and the opposition FMLN. ARENA campaigned for a mandate to continue the economic reforms they had being pursuing but was hurt in the election by a recent six month strike by doctors. Meanwhile FMLN won support from those who did not feel they have benefited from the economic reforms introduced by ARENA and they attacked the government over crime and declining economic growth.
There were five deaths during the campaign
related to the election and for three days around the election a ban on the sales of alcohol
was introduced to prevent any trouble. Election day itself saw problems with the electoral list, with reports of voters not being on the list, while some dead people were listed. Turnout
was low with only slightly less than 39% voting.
. ARENA lost two seats, but with their allies the Party of National Conciliation
gaining 3 seats, they retained a majority. At the same time as the legislative election, the 262 municipalities
held elections with the FMLN retaining the most important post, the mayoralty of San Salvador
, when Carlos Rivas Zamora defeated Evelyn Jacir de Lovo of ARENA.
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
on 16 March 2003 to elect 84 deputies
Deputy (legislator)
A deputy is a legislator in many countries, particularly those with legislatures styled as a 'Chamber of Deputies' or 'National Assembly'.-List of countries:This is an list of countries using the term 'deputy' or one of its cognates....
to the Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly of El Salvador
The Legislative Assembly is the legislative branch of the government of El Salvador.The Salvadoran legislature is a unicameral body....
for a term of three years. The main opposition party, the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front
Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front
The Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front is, since 1992, a left-wing political party in El Salvador and formerly a coalition of five revolutionary guerrilla organizations...
(FMLN), won the most seats in election at 31. However the governing Nationalist Republican Alliance
Nationalist Republican Alliance
The Nationalist Republican Alliance is a conservative political party in El Salvador. It was founded on September 30, 1981, by Roberto D'Aubuisson, in order to oppose the reformist military junta that was ruling El Salvador at the time...
(ARENA) won enough seats to continue in government with the Party of National Conciliation
Party of National Conciliation
The Party of National Conciliation is a conservative political party in El Salvador. It was the most powerful political party in the country during the 1960s and 1970s, and was closely associated with the Salvadoran military. Julio Adalberto Rivera Carballo, a candidate of the National...
(PCN).
Background
ARENA had controlled the government of El SalvadorPolitics of El Salvador
Politics of El Salvador takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of El Salvador is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in...
since winning the 1989 presidential election
Salvadoran presidential election, 1989
Presidential elections were held in El Salvador on 19 March 1989. The result was a victory for Alfredo Cristiani of the ARENA party, who secured a majority in the first round. The election marked the first time in Salvadoran history that power was transferred from one democratically elected...
. The 2003 legislative election was the fifth election since the ending of the Salvadoran Civil War in 1992.
Campaign
In total 11 political partiesPolitical party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
contested the election but it was seen as being primarily between ARENA and the opposition FMLN. ARENA campaigned for a mandate to continue the economic reforms they had being pursuing but was hurt in the election by a recent six month strike by doctors. Meanwhile FMLN won support from those who did not feel they have benefited from the economic reforms introduced by ARENA and they attacked the government over crime and declining economic growth.
There were five deaths during the campaign
Political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
related to the election and for three days around the election a ban on the sales of alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
was introduced to prevent any trouble. Election day itself saw problems with the electoral list, with reports of voters not being on the list, while some dead people were listed. Turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
was low with only slightly less than 39% voting.
Election results
FMLN remained the largest party in the Legislative Assembly winning 31 seats the same as the previous election in 2000Salvadoran legislative election, 2000
Legislative elections were held in El Salvador on 12 March 2000. Although the Nationalist Republican Alliance received the most votes, the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front won the most seats. Voter turnout was 38.5%.-Results:...
. ARENA lost two seats, but with their allies the Party of National Conciliation
Party of National Conciliation
The Party of National Conciliation is a conservative political party in El Salvador. It was the most powerful political party in the country during the 1960s and 1970s, and was closely associated with the Salvadoran military. Julio Adalberto Rivera Carballo, a candidate of the National...
gaining 3 seats, they retained a majority. At the same time as the legislative election, the 262 municipalities
Municipalities of El Salvador
The departments of El Salvador are divided into 262 municipalities or municipios. The municipalities are listed below, by department El Salvador is divided into fourteen administrative divisions called departments, the equivalent of states in the United States. Each department is administered by a...
held elections with the FMLN retaining the most important post, the mayoralty of San Salvador
San Salvador
The city of San Salvador the capital and largest city of El Salvador, which has been designated a Gamma World City. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador...
, when Carlos Rivas Zamora defeated Evelyn Jacir de Lovo of ARENA.
Results
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front The Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front is, since 1992, a left-wing political party in El Salvador and formerly a coalition of five revolutionary guerrilla organizations... |
475,043 | 34.0 | 31 | 0 |
| Nationalist Republican Alliance Nationalist Republican Alliance The Nationalist Republican Alliance is a conservative political party in El Salvador. It was founded on September 30, 1981, by Roberto D'Aubuisson, in order to oppose the reformist military junta that was ruling El Salvador at the time... |
446,233 | 31.9 | 27 | |
| Party of National Conciliation Party of National Conciliation The Party of National Conciliation is a conservative political party in El Salvador. It was the most powerful political party in the country during the 1960s and 1970s, and was closely associated with the Salvadoran military. Julio Adalberto Rivera Carballo, a candidate of the National... |
181,167 | 13.0 | 16 | |
| Christian Democratic Party Christian Democratic Party (El Salvador) The Christian Democratic Party is a political party in El Salvador.In the legislative elections, held on 16 March 2003, the party won 7.3% of the popular vote and 5 out of 84 seats in the Legislative Assembly. In the presidential election of 21 March 2004, the PDC supported Héctor Silva Argüello... |
101,841 | 7.3 | 5 | |
| United Democratic Centre United Democratic Centre (El Salvador) The United Democratic Centre is a political party in El Salvador.It first contested national elections in 1999 when it nominated Rubén Zamora in the presidential elections. For the 2000 elections it was an alliance of the Social Democratic Party and Democratic Convergence, winning three seats... |
89,115 | 6.4 | 5 | |
| Renewal Movement Renewal Movement The Renewal Movement was a political party in El Salvador. The Renovadores started as an organized internal tendency within the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front around 1999, then split from the FMLN around 2002 when their principal leader, Facundo Guardado, was expelled from the FMLN... |
26,299 | 1.9 | 0 | New |
| Republican People's Party Republican People's Party (El Salvador) The Republican People's Party is a political party in El Salvador. It first contested national elections in 2003, when it won 1.6% of the vote, but failed to win a seat.... |
22,785 | 1.6 | 0 | New |
| Popular Action Popular Action (El Salvador) Popular Action is a political party in El Salvador. It first contested national elections in 2003, when it received 1.1% of the vote, but failed to win a seat.... |
15,906 | 1.1 | 0 | New |
| Christian Force Christian Force Christian Force is a political party in El Salvador. It first contested national elections in 2003, when it received 1.1% of the vote, but failed to win a seat.... |
15,573 | 1.1 | 0 | New |
| National Action Party National Action Party (El Salvador) The National Action Party is a political party in El Salvador. It first contested national elections in 1956. However, Roberto Edmundo Cannessa, its candidate in the presidential election was disqualified, whilst in the legislative elections it failed to win a seat, despite being the only party to... |
14,574 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Social Democratic Party | 10,203 | 0.7 | 0 | New |
| Invalid/blank votes | ||||
| Total | 1,398,718 | 100 | 84 | 0 |
| Source: Nohlen | ||||