Belize - Political and electoral system
Political and administrative structure
Nación independiente, parte de la Mancomunidad de Naciones Británica. Su forma de gobierno es la democracia parlamentaria en un régimen de monarquía constitucional. El Jefe de Estado es el Monarca Británico, representado en el país por un Gobernador General. El Jefe de Gobierno es el Premier, quien es designado por el Gobernador General en función de su posición en tanto líder del Partido o Coalición mayoritaria en un proceso electoral.
Belice está dividida en seis (6) distritos administrativos.
National parliament
Bicameral (Senate and House of Assembly).
Municipal government
Belize has only a national level government and a single tier local government made up of various councils (2 city councils, 4 town councils, 12 community councils, and 180 village councils). There are no separately elected provincial executives; local Town Councils are elected, but with limited legal authority.
Duration of terms
Prime Minister, Senate and House of Representatives: Maximum of 5 years from formation of government.
Representation system
House of Representatives: Majority: Direct election, simple-majority vote. Vacancies arising between general elections are filled through by-elections. Voting is not compulsory. Senate: six members are appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister; three on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition; one on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and the Evangelical Association of Churches; one on the advice of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Belize Business Bureau; and one on the advice of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize and the Civil Society Steering Committee.
Type of list
No aplica.
Electoral constituency
House of Representatives: 31 single-member constituencies.
Quota and parity laws
No.
Legal instruments applicable to municipalities
Belize City Council Act 1999; Belmopan City Council Act 1999; Town Councils Act 2000; Village Councils Act, 1999; Inferior Courts Act (Part VIII), 2000-03.