July 26, 2007

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in Bolivia reject a government proposal to change the head of state's term limits, according to a poll by Equipos MORI. 52 per cent of respondents oppose allowing for the indefinite re-election of the president, while 42 per cent have no problem with the idea.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in Bolivia reject a government proposal to change the head of state's term limits, according to a poll by Equipos MORI. 52 per cent of respondents oppose allowing for the indefinite re-election of the president, while 42 per cent have no problem with the idea.

Evo Morales—an indigenous leader and former coca-leaf farmer—won the December 2005 presidential election as the candidate for the Movement to Socialism (MAS), with 53.7 per cent of the vote. He officially took over as Bolivia's head of state in January 2006.

In August 2006, the National Constituent Assembly, tasked with re-writing Bolivia's constitution, held its first session. The assembly can sit for one year, and its proposed body of law must be approved by two-thirds of the 255 lawmakers, and then ratified in a nationwide referendum.

On Jul. 13, MAS members of the Constituent Assembly proposed amending existing guidelines to allow for the unlimited re-election of the president. Currently, Bolivian law allows a person to serve as head of state for two non-consecutive five-year terms.

José Antonio Aruquipa, a delegate for the conservative We Can (Podemos) opposition party, expressed dismay, adding, "MAS insists in their intention of replacing Bolivian democracy with a totalitarian political system."

Polling Data

Do you support or oppose allowing for the indefinite re-election of the president in Bolivia?

Support	42%
Oppose	52%
Not sure	6%

Source: Equipos MORI
Methodology: Interviews with 1,100 adult Bolivians, conducted from May 5 to May 11, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.