Guyana - Political and electoral system
Political and administrative structure
Semi-presidential parliamentary style government with a Constitution and multi-party system. The President is the Head of State and elected by popular vote as the leader of a party list in parliamentary elections. The Prime Minister is the Head of Government and is appointed by the President. The National Assembly is unicameral.
National parliament
La Asamblea Nacional (National Assembly) de la Guyana es unicameral. Está compuesta por entre 69 y 72 miembros, de los cuáles 40 son electos directamente en una única circunscripción de ámbito nacional, 25 elegidos directamente en 10 circunscripciones plurinominales. Otros escaños incluyen entre dos (2) y cuatro ministros (4), dos (2) secretarios parlamentarios y el/la Presidente de la Asamblea, los cuales no son electos directamente.
Municipal government
10 regional democratic councils each led by a council chairman.
Duration of terms
Presidential elections must take place at least once every five years, without term limits. The National Assembly consists of 65 seats; members elected by popular vote, as well as no more than four unelected and non-voting ministers and 2 unelected and non-voting secretaries that are appointed by the President; the members have a five year term.
Representation system
Mixed proportional
Type of list
National Assembly: 40 member elected by closed list proportional representation. 25 members elected by closed list proportional representation in 10 regional districts lists.
Electoral constituency
Asamblea Nacional (National Assembly): 10 circunscripciones plurinominales
Quota and parity laws
Representation of People's (Amendment) Act 2000 (Section 11B, Articles 5-7) provides for gender representation as an eligibility criteria for political parties wishing to contest national and regional elections. It states that each political party must have at least one-third women on the list of representatives submitted to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
Legal instruments applicable to municipalities
Local Democratic Organs Act (1989, Amendments 1981,1985, 1990, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2006); Local Authorities (Elections) Act (1969, Amendments 1972, 1981, 1986, 1990(3), 1994(2), 1997, 1998(2), 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018); Local Government Act 1998 (amended 2015); Municipal and District Councils Act 1998 (amended 2015); Amerindian Act 2006.
Electoral Justice
Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) http://www.gecom.org.gy/index.html