Presidential Power, Party Politics, and Coalition Building in Panama

Panama is a presidential democracy. The executive branch is composed of the president and two vice presidents elected by plurality for five year terms. The 78 member unicameral legislature is elected in single member plurality in rural areas and in multi-member proportional representation (PR) for urban areas with representatives serving five year terms. Presidential and National Assembly elections are held concurrently and a 1998 referendum blocked presidential reelection.

Behind this straightforward framework interesting constitutional allowances grant the president strong powers in policy making, especially under current circumstances. The president has the authority to appoint the twelve ministers who compose the Cabinet Council who can decree states of emergency and suspend constitutional guarantees, nominate members of the Supreme Court, appoint or remove state governors, and control the budget. Furthermore, the president appoints the high command of the Panamanian Public Force (formerly the military) and has veto power over the legislature (which can be overruled by a 2/3 majority).

The current president, Martin Torrijos Espino of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), is the son of Noriega’a miltarist predecessor Omar Torrijos who established the PRD. Although this creates a military oriented image at first glance, the party has worked hard to distance itself from history and create a center-left platform. The PRD also holds the majority of National Assembly seats (http://electionguide.org/search-results.php?type=&country=167&search_year=any&submitted=1&submit.x=47&submit.y=13&submit=Search) making a coalition a moot point currently. This scenario reinforces the high level of Torrijos’ political power.

Given the PR scheme for the National Assembly, coalition building does have noteworthy potential, especially if a opposition president were elected in 2009 along with a some level of shake up in the National Assembly. In fact, some opposition party melding has recently taken place with the Solidarity Party and National Liberal Party uniting as the new Patriotic Union Party (right leaning I think). However, if a PRD president is elected again, creating a 2/3 majority opposition coalition in the legislature to overide vetoes would be an enormous challenge given the PRD’s record of successfully getting Assembly members elected.

Although there is not time discuss it in detail here, it is interesting to note the political structure allows strong party unity in Panama which helps to explain the consolidation of power by the PRD. Namely, parties nominate those that will run for office and have the power to revoke their power as legislators after they are elected.