1994 Panamanian general election

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

1994 Panamanian general election

May 8, 1994 (1994-05-08)
 
Nominee Ernesto Pérez Balladares Mireya Moscoso
Party PRD Liberal
Running mate Tomas Altamirano Duque Dominador Baldomero Bazán
Popular vote 355,307 310,372
Percentage 33.30% 29.09%

President before election

Guillermo Endara
Panameñista Party

Elected President

Ernesto Pérez Balladares
Democratic Revolutionary Party

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

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 1.60
Republican Liberal Party (PLR) 12,166 1.14
Mireya Moscoso Democratic Alliance (AD) 310,372 29.09
Arnulfista Party (PA) 211,780 19.85
Liberal Party (PL) 46,775 4.38
Authentic Liberal Party (PLA) 43,797 4.11
Independent Democrat Union (UDI) 8,020 0.75
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 3.01
Civic Renewal Party (PRC) 23,592 2.21
Eduardo Vallarino Christian Democratic Party (PDC) 25,476 2.39
Samuel Lewis Galindo National Concertation (CN) 18,424 1.73
Solidarity Party (PS) 9,304 0.87
National Unity Mission Party (MUN) 9,120 0.85
José Salvador Muñoz Doctrinaire Panameñista Party (PPD) 3,668 0.34
Total valid votes 1,066,844 100
Spoilt and invalid votes 37,734 3.42
Total votes/Turnout 1,104,578 73.67
Registered voters 1,499,451
Population 2,609,000

[5]

Legislative election

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 2.73% 1
Republican Liberal Party (PLR) 24,979 2.42% 2
Democratic Alliance (AD) 229,884 22.24% 19
Arnulfista Party (PA) 150,217 14.53% 14
Liberal Party (PL) 35,516 3.44% 2
Authentic Liberal Party (PLA) 31,045 3.00% 2
Independent Democrat Union (UDI) 13,106 1.27% 1
Alliance for Change '94 (C 94) 243,004 23.51% 9
National Liberal Republican Movement (MOLIRENA) 116,833 11.30% 5
National Renewal Movement (MORENA) 68,581 6.64% 1
Civic Renewal Party (PRC) 57,590 5.57% 3
Mother Earth Movement (MPE) 99,760 9.65% 6
National Concertation (CN) 94,323 9.12% 4
Solidarity Party (PS) 67,306 6.51% 4
National Unity Mission Party (MUN) 27,017 2.61% 2.61%
Christian Democratic Party (PDC) 66,411 6.43% 1
Doctrinaire Panameñista Party (PPD) 10,720 1.04% 0
Total valid votes 1,033,572 100% 72
Spoilt and invalid votes 58,184 5.33%
Total votes/Turnout 1,091,756 72.81%
Registered voters 1,499,451
Population 2,609,000

[6]

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 3, 2012. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  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 March 29, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  3. "Panama". University of Missouri-Saint Louis. Archived from the original on September 3, 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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