2012 Salvadoran legislative and local elections
Legislative and local elections were held in El Salvador on 11 March 2012[2] to choose 84 members of the legislative assembly and 262 mayors. The election was carried out by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. The opposition Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) narrowly defeated the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) and its ally Grand Alliance for National Unity (GANA).
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This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. |
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This article is part of a series on the politics and government of El Salvador |
Executive |
Legislature
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Administrative divisions |
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Background
Following the 2009 presidential election, the first ever president from the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN), Mauricio Funes, was elected following the end of the Salvadoran civil war.
This election was seen as a test of Funes' government since it was the first election since he came to power. Prior to the election, the FMLN controlled the Legislative Assembly in alliance with Grand Alliance for National Unity (GANA), dissidents from the conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA).[3]
Parties
In addition to ARENA, FMLN and GANA, six smaller parties fielded candidates. ARENA is led by Alfredo Cristiani, a former president during the civil war; FMLN is led by Medardo González, a former guerrilla chief; and GANA is led by former member of ARENA and president Elías Antonio Saca.[3]
The National Conciliation Party and the Christian Democratic Party were both dissolved by a Supreme Court of Justice verdict in 2011. Technically, they would have been deregistered after their electoral setback in 2004 (less than 3%), but a 2005 decree saved them from being folded and allowed them to carry on. The Supreme Court ruled this decree to be unconstitutional and eventually disbanded the parties.[4] However, both parties continued their political work and registered as the National Coalition[5] and Party of Hope, respectively.[6]
Campaign
ARENA's campaign issues included a tough response to criminal and youth gangs, which was a concern with 14 murders a day, according to government figures. FMLN campaigned on promises of social programmes and job creation, where unemployment is 34% (though down from 40% before Funes took office).[3]
In January, Funes appointed army General Francisco Salinas to replace Carlos Ascencio, who had resigned to join the foreign service, as head of the national police. For this, Funes was criticised by members of his own party who alleged that appointing someone from the military to head the police was in contravention of both the Constitution of El Salvador and the Chapultepec Peace Accords.[7]
Opinion polls
The Central American University carried out an opinion poll which showed the FMLN alliance was leading with 27.8%, but closely followed by ARENA with 26.4%.[3] According to a CID-Gallup poll for the daily newspaper La Página, carried out from 16–19 February, ARENA had the support of 34% of voters, FMLN followed with 32% of the voters and GANA, a faction of ARENA, was third with 10% of the voters.[8]
Election
The voting stations were scheduled to open from 7:00 to 17:00, but many opened late.[9] After voting, Funes called on the electorate to help him "guarantee that the changes that are taking place are strengthened, and not turned back."
Legislative election
Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nationalist Republican Alliance (Alianza Republicana Nacionalista) | 870,418 | 39.76% | 33 | ![]() | ||
Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional) | 804,760 | 36.76% | 31 | ![]() | ||
Grand Alliance for National Unity (Alianza por la Unidad Nacional) | 210,101 | 9.6% | 11 | ![]() | ||
National Coalition (Concertación Nacional)1 | 157,074 | 7.18% | 74 | ![]() | ||
Party of Hope (Partido de la Esperanza)2 | 60,486 | 2.76% | 14 | ![]() | ||
Democratic Change (Cambio Democrático) | 46,838 | 2.14% | 1 | ![]() | ||
National Liberal Party (Partido Nacional Liberal) | 14,379 | 0.66% | 0 | ![]() | ||
People's Party (Partido Popular) | 10,952 | 0.50% | 0 | ![]() | ||
Independents3 | 14,098 | 0.63% | 0 | ![]() | ||
Totals | 2,215,589 | 100.00% | 84 | — | ||
1Compared to National Conciliation Party in 2009. 2Compared to Christian Democratic Party in 2009. 3Five independent candidates. Percentage and votes are cumulative. 4A MP from Chalatenango that won, ran on a joint CN and PES ticket and got 17,072 votes, or 0.78% (counted here for CN). Source: Supreme Electoral Tribunal |
Municipal elections
The election also chose mayors of 262 towns and cities.[3]
After the polls closed, but before the Supreme Electoral Tribunal had published the official results, ARENA candidate and the incumbent mayor Norman Quijano declared himself winner of the mayoral race in the capital, San Salvador.[10] He beat the FMLN's Jorge Shafick Handal, the son of former FMLN leader Schafik Handal.[11]
Of the 14 district capitals, ARENA won control of nine town halls, FMLN won control of three town halls, while GANA and the National Coalition each won control of one town hall.[12]
Departments | Municipalities | Mayor | Party | Margin | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
San Salvador | San Salvador** | Norman Quijano* | ARENA | 52,588 | |||
Ciudad Delgado | FMLN/CD*** | 347 | |||||
Mejicanos | ARENA | 599 | |||||
Soyapango | ARENA | 267 | |||||
Cuscatancingo | FMLN | 3,342 | |||||
San Marcos | FMLN | 514 | |||||
Ilopango | ARENA | 668 | |||||
Nejapa | FMLN | 248 | |||||
Apopa | ARENA | 3,107 | |||||
San Martin | ARENA | 406 | |||||
Panchimalco | FMLN | 2,947 | |||||
Aguilares | FMLN/CD*** | 91 | |||||
Tonacatepeque | ARENA | 2,495 | |||||
Santo Tomás | ARENA | 1,811 | 47.73% | ||||
Santiago Texacuangos | ARENA | 1,029 | |||||
El Paisnal | FMLN | 1,279 | 60.43% | ||||
Guazapa | CN | 800 | |||||
Ayutuxtepeque | ARENA | 416 | |||||
Rosario de Mora | FMLN | 637 | |||||
Santa Ana | Santa Ana** | FMLN/CD*** | 399 | ||||
Chalchuapa | FMLN | 2,831 | |||||
Metapán | CN | 2,101 | |||||
Coatepeque | ARENA | 992 | |||||
El Congo | CN | 466 | |||||
Texistepeque | PES | 361 | 36.69% | ||||
Candelaria de la Frontera | ARENA | 4,208 | |||||
San Sebastián Salitrillo | FMLN | 355 | |||||
Santa Rosa Guachipilín | ARENA | 91 | |||||
Santiago de la Frontera | ARENA | 905 | |||||
El Porvenir | CN | 486 | |||||
Masahuat | CN | 187 | |||||
San Antonio Pajonal | ARENA | 377 | 57.22% | ||||
San Miguel | San Miguel** | GANA | 7,307 | ||||
Chinameca | ARENA | 971 | |||||
El Tránsito | FMLN | 486 | 38.07% | ||||
Ciudad Barrios | PES | 883 | 35.5% | ||||
Chirilagua | ARENA | 299 | 47.45% | ||||
Sesori | CN/PES*** | 8 | |||||
San Rafael Oriente | GANA | 262 | 32.99% | ||||
Moncagua | FMLN | 1,231 | |||||
Lolotique | FMLN | 132 | 33.09% | ||||
San Jorge | FMLN | 394 | |||||
Chapeltique | CD | 885 | 42.69% | ||||
San Gerardo | ARENA | 8 | 49.92% | ||||
Carolina | ARENA | 407 | 53.74% | ||||
Quelepa | FMLN | 368 | 53.31% | ||||
San Luis de la Reina | FMLN | 413 | 52.09% | ||||
Nuevo Edén de San Juan | ARENA | 12 | |||||
Nueva Guadalupe | FMLN | 138 | 35.31% | ||||
Uluazapa | FMLN | 51 | 49.86% | ||||
Comacarán | FMLN | 783 | 69.3% | ||||
San Antonio del Mosco | ARENA | 560 | |||||
La Libertad | Santa Tecla** | FMLN/CD*** | 648 | ||||
Quezaltepeque | ARENA | 164 | |||||
Ciudad Arce | FMLN/CD*** | 167 | 52.86% | ||||
San Juan Opico | ARENA | 1,163 | |||||
Colón | ARENA | 4,527 | |||||
La Libertad | FMLN/PES*** | 731 | |||||
Antiguo Cuscatlán | ARENA | 9,666 | 74.34% | ||||
Comasagua | FMLN | 356 | 42.14% | ||||
San Pablo Tacachico | FMLN | 285 | |||||
Jayaque | ARENA | 887 | 56.53% | ||||
Huizúcar | ARENA | 690 | 53.45% | ||||
Tepecoyo | GANA | 403 | |||||
Teotepeque | ARENA | 1,090 | |||||
Chiltiupán | ARENA | 1,377 | 62.23% | ||||
Nuevo Cuscatlán | FMLN/CD*** | 108 | |||||
Tamanique | ARENA | 1,520 | 52.18% | ||||
Sacacoyo | ARENA | 1,422 | 59.87% | ||||
San José Villanueva | CN | 420 | 35.61% | ||||
Zaragoza | CN | 42 | |||||
Talnique | ARENA | 978 | |||||
San Matías | ARENA | 672 | 50.94% | ||||
Jicalapa | ARENA | 1,175 | |||||
Usulután | Usulután** | CN | 82 | ||||
Jiquilisco | FMLN | 4,469 | |||||
Berlín | CN | 267 | |||||
Santiago de María | CN | 553 | |||||
Jucuapa | FMLN | 510 | |||||
Santa Elena · | FMLN | 1,074 | |||||
Jucuarán | FMLN | 282 | 39.64% | ||||
San Agustín | FMLN | 329 | 53.75% | ||||
Ozatlán | FMLN | 210 | 50.37% | ||||
Estanzuelas | FMLN | 60 | 39.38% | ||||
Mercedes Umaña | FMLN | 378 | |||||
Alegría | FMLN | 1,591 | |||||
Concepción Batres | FMLN | 412 | |||||
San Francisco Javier | FMLN | 76 | |||||
Puerto El Triunfo | CD | 371 | |||||
Tecapán | FMLN | 36 | 50.26% | ||||
San Dionisio | ARENA | 492 | 43.76% | ||||
Ereguayquín | ARENA | 339 | 52.35% | ||||
Santa María | ARENA | 747 | |||||
Nueva Granada | ARENA | 435 | 55.12% | ||||
El Triunfo· | ARENA | 549 | 49.3% | ||||
San Buenaventura | FMLN | 250 | |||||
California | ARENA | 507 | 70.45% | ||||
Sonsonate | Sonsonate** | ARENA | 7,206 | ||||
Izalco | ARENA | 597 | |||||
Acajutla | FMLN | 3,014 | |||||
Armenia | ARENA | 4,082 | 63.96% | ||||
Nahuizalco | FMLN | 2,901 | 41.85% | ||||
Juayúa | CN | 1,171 | 27.76% | ||||
San Julián | FMLN | 394 | 37.17% | ||||
Sonzacate | ARENA | 765 | |||||
San Antonio del Monte | CD | 679 | |||||
Nahuilingo | ARENA | 565 | |||||
Cuisnahuat | FMLN | 38 | 36.09% | ||||
Santa Catarina Masahuat | FMLN/CD*** | 203 | |||||
Caluco | CN | 749 | 41.96% | ||||
Santa Isabel Ishuatán | ARENA | 818 | |||||
Salcoatitán | PES | 122 | 27.3% | ||||
Santo Domingo de Guzman | CN | 108 | |||||
La Unión | La Unión** | ARENA | 2,698 | ||||
Santa Rosa de Lima | ARENA | 217 | |||||
Pasaquina | GANA | 48 | |||||
San Alejo | ARENA | 1,068 | |||||
Anamorós | FMLN | 126 | |||||
El Carmen | GANA | 519 | 37.42% | ||||
Conchagua | ARENA | 142 | 39.36% | ||||
El Sauce | GANA | 25 | 34.91% | ||||
Lislique | ARENA | 1,677 | |||||
Yucuaiquín | ARENA | 188 | |||||
Nueva Esparta | ARENA | 175 | 40.54% | ||||
Polorós | ARENA | 306 | |||||
Bolivar | ARENA | 775 | 62.43% | ||||
Concepción de Oriente · | ARENA | 409 | 49.74% | ||||
Intipucá | ARENA | 369 | 46.69% | ||||
San Jose las Fuentes | ARENA | 100 | |||||
Yayantique | ARENA | 637 | 44.24% | ||||
Meanguera del Golfo | ARENA | 227 | 58.64% | ||||
La Paz | Zacatecoluca** | FMLN | 5,084 | ||||
Santiago Nonualco | GANA | 481 | |||||
San Juan Nonualco | ARENA | 295 | |||||
San Pedro Masahuat | FMLN | 905 | |||||
Olocuilta | ARENA | 1,920 | |||||
San Pedro Nonualco | FMLN | 265 | |||||
San Francisco Chinameca | ARENA | 188 | 39.35% | ||||
San Juan Talpa | GANA | 590 | |||||
El Rosario | FMLN | 419 | |||||
San Rafael Obrajuelo | ARENA | 1,188 | |||||
Santa María Ostuma | ARENA | 632 | |||||
San Luis Talpa | GANA | 1,222 | |||||
San Antonio Masahuat | ARENA | 184 | 39.87% | ||||
San Miguel Tepezontes | CN | 60 | |||||
San Juan Tepezontes | CN | 34 | 48.1% | ||||
Tapalhuaca | FMLN | 292 | 43.27% | ||||
Cuyultitán | ARENA | 49 | 32.47% | ||||
Paraíso de Osorio | CN | 1 | 47.21% | ||||
San Emigdio | FMLN | 12 | 35.67% | ||||
Jerusalén | FMLN | 237 | 56.56% | ||||
Mercedes La Ceiba | GANA | 428 | 71.01% | ||||
San Luis La Herradura | FMLN | 1,521 | |||||
Chalatenango | Chalatenango** | ARENA | 439 | ||||
Nueva Concepción | FMLN | 81 | 41.17% | ||||
La Palma | FMLN | 261 | |||||
Tejutla | CN | 882 | |||||
La Reina | CN | 395 | |||||
Arcatao | FMLN | 223 | |||||
San Ignacio | ARENA | 256 | |||||
Dulce Nombre de María | ARENA | 42 | 42.06% | ||||
Citalá | ARENA | 1,030 | 59.28% | ||||
Agua Caliente | ARENA | 352 | 38.2% | ||||
Concepción Quezaltepeque | FMLN | 222 | 52.01% | ||||
Nueva Trinidad | FMLN | 364 | 68.09% | ||||
Las Vueltas | FMLN | 630 | 86% | ||||
Comalapa | ARENA | 458 | 58.11% | ||||
San Rafael | ARENA | 39 | 27.53% | ||||
Las Flores | FMLN | 611 | 88.25% | ||||
Ojos de Agua | ARENA | 348 | 41.02% | ||||
Nombre de Jesús | FMLN | 392 | 57.96% | ||||
Potonico | ARENA | 11 | 50.04% | ||||
San Francisco Morazán | ARENA | 134 | 39.22% | ||||
Santa Rita | ARENA | 606 | 62.21% | ||||
La Laguna | ARENA | 168 | |||||
San Isidro Labrador | FMLN | 158 | 71.34% | ||||
San Antonio de la Cruz | FMLN | 130 | 55.34% | ||||
El Paraíso | ARENA | 124 | 37.45% | ||||
San Miguel de Mercedes | CN | 805 | 75.43% | ||||
San Luis del Carmen | FMLN | 143 | 50.07% | ||||
San José Cancasque | FMLN | 42 | 50.94% | ||||
San Antonio Los Ranchos | FMLN | 306 | 76.37% | ||||
El Carrizal | FMLN | 329 | 59.53% | ||||
San Fernando | ARENA | 60 | 52.25% | ||||
Azacualpa | FMLN | 142 | 58.15% | ||||
San Francisco Lempa | FMLN | 21 | 36.95% | ||||
Cuscatlán | Cojutepeque** | ARENA | 3,079 | ||||
Suchitoto | FMLN | 3,730 | |||||
San Pedro Perulapán | FMLN | 3,337 | 43.4% | ||||
San José Guayabal | ARENA | 751 | 52.88% | ||||
Tenancingo | FMLN | 133 | 44.4% | ||||
San Rafael Cedros | ARENA | 291 | |||||
Candelaria | CN | 1,745 | |||||
El Carmen | ARENA | 799 | 49.98% | ||||
Monte San Juan | PES | 605 | 34.51% | ||||
San Cristobal | ARENA | 398 | |||||
Santa Cruz Michapa | CN | 141 | 36.99% | ||||
San Bartolomé Perulapía | FMLN | 146 | |||||
San Ramon | ARENA | 40 | 41.2% | ||||
El Rosario | ARENA | 315 | 44.9% | ||||
Oratorio de Concepción | CN | 139 | 35.6% | ||||
Santa Cruz Analquito | GANA | 464 | 61.41% | ||||
Ahuachapán | Ahuachapán** | ARENA | 5,395 | ||||
Atiquizaya | ARENA | 1,049 | |||||
San Francisco Menéndez | PES | 1,188 | |||||
Tacuba | ARENA | 167 | |||||
Concepción de Ataco | ARENA | 1,229 | 54.55% | ||||
Jujutla | ARENA | 2,398 | |||||
Guaymango | FMLN | 1,793 | |||||
Apaneca | ARENA | 944 | |||||
San Pedro Puxtla | FMLN/CD*** | 8 | 50.36% | ||||
San Lorenzo | FMLN | 434 | |||||
Turín | CN | 1,390 | |||||
El Refugio | ARENA | 493 | 42.68% | ||||
Morazán | San Francisco Gotera** | ARENA | 3,210 | 56.94% | |||
Jocoro | FMLN | 796 | |||||
Corinto | ARENA | 1,305 | 54.08% | ||||
Sociedad | FMLN | 450 | |||||
Cacaopera | FMLN | 280 | |||||
Guatajiagua | ARENA | 259 | 34.09% | ||||
El Divisadero | FMLN | 907 | |||||
Jocoaitique | ARENA | 108 | 52.06% | ||||
Osicala | GANA | 436 | |||||
Chilanga | ARENA | 407 | |||||
Meanguera | FMLN | 573 | |||||
Torola | FMLN | 30 | |||||
San Simon | FMLN | 461 | 42% | ||||
Delicias de Concepción | GANA | 24 | 49.6% | ||||
Joateca | GANA | 78 | 50.38% | ||||
Arambala | FMLN | 133 | 40.09% | ||||
Lolotiquillo | ARENA | 416 | 55.02% | ||||
Yamabal | ARENA | 69 | 37.76% | ||||
Yoloaiquín | ARENA | 714 | |||||
San Carlos | ARENA | 461 | 51.99% | ||||
El Rosario | GANA | 8 | 39.24% | ||||
Perquín | FMLN | 178 | 41.59% | ||||
Sensembra | ARENA | 271 | |||||
Gualococti | ARENA | 195 | 45.3% | ||||
San Fernando | GANA | 134 | |||||
San Isidro | FMLN | 237 | 50.94% | ||||
San Vicente | San Vicente** | ARENA | 6,386 | ||||
Tecoluca | FMLN | 1,025 | |||||
San Sebastián | ARENA | 1,210 | 53.54% | ||||
Apastepeque | GANA | 1,356 | |||||
San Esteban Catarina | FMLN | 507 | |||||
San Ildefonso | FMLN | 93 | |||||
Santa Clara | FMLN | 119 | 52.28% | ||||
San Lorenzo | FMLN | 371 | |||||
Verapaz | FMLN | 132 | |||||
Guadalupe | CN/PES*** | 4 | |||||
Santo Domingo | CN/PES*** | 7 | |||||
San Cayetano Istepeque | ARENA | 69 | 49.28% | ||||
Tepetitán | FMLN | 74 | 40.46% | ||||
Cabañas | Sensuntepeque** | ARENA | 5,394 | ||||
Ilobasco | ARENA | 2,780 | 48.35% | ||||
Victoria | ARENA | 722 | |||||
San Isidro | ARENA | 641 | 42.71 | ||||
Jutiapa | ARENA | 1,275 | 63.74% | ||||
Tejutepeque | ARENA | 169 | |||||
Dolores | ARENA | 84 | 50.44% | ||||
Cinquera | FMLN | 39 | 49.45% | ||||
Guacotecti | CN | 280 | 34.39% | ||||
*Incumbent. **Department capitals. ***Joint candidates. | |||||||
Totals | 262 | ||||||
Source: Supreme Electoral Tribunal (pdf) |
Reaction
San Salvador's re-elected mayor Norman Quijano called the result "historic" and announced that the party was "going to turn the country around."[13]
Analysis
A strong showing for ARENA was read as a hindrance to Funes' implementation of his pledged social programmes two years before his term ends.[14]
The president and his FMLN administration are likely to be dependent on the support of GANA, which has already helped the government with passing fiscal reform bills during the last legislators' term.[13] The Christian Science Monitor read the result as a "litmus test" for President Mauricio Funes before the next presidential election.[15]
Notes
References
- Luis Eliezer Garcia. "Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de El Salvador » Autoridades » Titulares". Rree.gob.sv. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
- "Organization of American States". Oas.org. 1 August 2009. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
- "Right-wing party leads in Salvadoran polls – Americas". Al Jazeera English. 4 October 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
- El Salvador Supreme Court disbands two parties, BBC News, 30 April 2011, retrieved 12 March 2012
- "TSE anuncia inscripción del partido Concertación Nacional", El Salvador Noticias, 23 September 2011, retrieved 12 March 2012
- "TSE ordena inscripción Partido de la Esperanza", La Prensa Grafica, 5 October 2011, archived from the original on 5 October 2011, retrieved 12 March 2012
- "Salvadoran President Funes criticised for police choice". BBC. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
- "Encuesta Cid-Gallup: FMLN 34%, ARENA 32%, GANA 10%", La Página, 24 February 2012
- "AFP: Right-wing party holds slim lead in El Salvador vote". Google. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
- "Norman Quijano se declara ganador por San Salvador", El Diario de Hoy, 11 March 2012
- Disputa por la Alcaldía de San Salvador, ElSalvador.com, retrieved 12 March 2012
- "ARENA gana 9 Alcaldías de Cabeceras departamentales, FMLN 3, Gana 1, CN 1", El Salvador Noticias, 12 March 2012
- Renteria, Nelson (12 March 2012), Ruling leftists suffer setback in El Salvador vote, Reuters
- "PressTV – Right-wing opposition party takes narrow lead in El Salvador elections". Presstv.ir. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
- http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/Latin-America-Monitor/2012/0312/El-Salvador-elections-Another-test-for-Latin-America-s-left