Panamanian general election, 1994

The Panama held a general election on 8 May 1994, electing both a new President of the Republic and a new Legislative Assembly.

Ernesto Pérez Balladares stood as a candidate for the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), opposing Mireya Moscoso of the Arnulfista Party and the salsa singer Rubén Blades, who was then president of the party Papa Egoro. In the 1989 general election, Pérez Balladares had served as the campaign manager for Carlos Duque, the hand-picked candidate of military ruler Manuel Noriega, and his 1994 opponents sought to emphasize his connection with Noriega, broadcasting pictures of the two together.[1] Pérez Balladares denied the link, describing the current PRD as "diametrically opposed" to Noriega's policies.[2] Instead, he worked to position himself as a successor to Torrijos, who was regarded as a national hero. The incumbent Arnulfista Party, meanwhile, was seen as hobbled by dissatisfaction with the perceived incompetence and corruption of Endara's government.[2] He ultimately won the election with 33% of the vote, with Moscoso receiving 29% and Blades receiving 17%.[3]

The PRD "also achieved an effective majority in the new National Assembly. The big surprise was not the victory of the PRD, but the nearly successful challenge of Mireya Moscoso de Gruber, the candidate of the Arnulfista Party".[4]

Presidential election results[5]

Candidate Party/Alliance Votes %
Ernesto Pérez Balladares United People Alliance (APU) 355,307 33.30%
Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) 326,095 30.57%
Labor and Agrarian Party (PALA) 17,046 01.60%
Republican Liberal Party (PLR) 12,166 01.14%
Mireya Moscoso Democratic Alliance (AD) 310,372 29.09%
Arnulfista Party (PA) 211,780 19.85%
Liberal Party (PL) 46,775 04.38%
Authentic Liberal Party (PLA) 43,797 04.11%
Independent Democrat Union (UDI) 8,020 00.75%
Rubén Blades Mother Earth Movement (MPE) 182,405 17.10%
Rubén Dario Carles Alliance for Change '94 (C 94) 171,192 16.05%
National Liberal Republican Movement (MOLIRENA) 115,478 10.82%
National Renewal Movement (MORENA) 32,122 03.01%
Civic Renewal Party (PRC) 23,592 02.21%
Eduardo Vallarino Christian Democratic Party (PDC) 25,476 02.39%
Samuel Lewis Galindo National Concertation (CN) 18,424 01.73%
Solidarity Party (PS) 9,304 00.87%
National Unity Mission Party (MUN) 9,120 00.85%
José Salvador Muñoz Doctrinaire Panameñista Party (PPD) 3,668 00.34%
Total valid votes 1,066,844 100%
Spoilt and invalid votes 37,734 03.42%
Total votes/Turnout 1,104,578
Registered voters 1,499,451 73.67%
Population 2,609,000

Legislative election[6]

Parties and alliances Votes/districts % Seats
United People Alliance (APU) 289,470 28.01% 33
Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) 236,319 22.86% 30
Labor and Agrarian Party (PALA) 28,172 02.73% 01
Republican Liberal Party (PLR) 24,979 02.42% 02
Democratic Alliance (AD) 229,884 22.24% 19
Arnulfista Party (PA) 150,217 14.53% 14
Liberal Party (PL) 35,516 03.44% 02
Authentic Liberal Party (PLA) 31,045 03.00% 02
Independent Democrat Union (UDI) 13,106 01.27% 01
Alliance for Change '94 (C 94) 243,004 23.51% 09
National Liberal Republican Movement (MOLIRENA) 116,833 11.30% 05
National Renewal Movement (MORENA) 68,581 06.64% 01
Civic Renewal Party (PRC) 57,590 05.57% 03
Mother Earth Movement (MPE) 99,760 09.65% 06
National Concertation (CN) 94,323 09.12% 04
Solidarity Party (PS) 67,306 06.51% 04
National Unity Mission Party (MUN) 27,017 02.61% 02.61%
Christian Democratic Party (PDC) 66,411 06.43% 01
Doctrinaire Panameñista Party (PPD) 10,720 01.04% 00
Total valid votes 1,033,572 100% 72
Spoilt and invalid votes 58,184 05.33%
Total votes/Turnout 1,091,756 72.81%
Registered voters 1499451
Population 2609000

References

  1. Howard W. French (February 21, 1994). "Panama Journal; Democracy at Work, Under Shadow of Dictators". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 2, 2012. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  2. 1 2 Douglas Farah (May 9, 1994). "Panamanians Vote in Peace, Picking Ex-Aide of Noriega; Millionaire Perez Balladares Bests Widow of Four-Time President". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 2, 2012. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  3. "Panama". University of Missouri-Saint Louis. Archived from the original on September 2, 2012. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  4. Falcoff, Mark. The 1994 Panamanian elections: post-election report. Washington: CSIS Americas Program. 1994. Pp. 1.
  5. Elections in the Americas : a data handbook / ed. by Dieter Nohlen, Vol. 1. [Oxford] [u.a.]: Oxford Univ. Press, 2005. Pp.534.
  6. Elections in the Americas : a data handbook / ed. by Dieter Nohlen, Vol. 1. [Oxford] [u.a.] : Oxford Univ. Press, 2005. Pp.528.
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