Morales suffers electoral setback in Bolivia
President Evo Morales suffered one of his biggest electoral setbacks in the 29 March departmental and municipal elections since taking office in 2006. Exit polls indicate his ruling Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) won in just four of Bolivia’s nine departments, with two going to a second round on 3 May and three to different opposition outfits. This is not only down from the six won in the last (2010) local elections but a far cry from the eight in which the MAS won a majority vote in the most recent (October 2014) general elections (losing only in Beni). While the MAS remains the only national political organisation, the defeat for the ruling party in its symbolic bastions of La Paz and El Alto, along with other strategic seats, is a wake-up call for Morales.
With the supreme electoral tribunal (TSE) due to announce the results within 15 days, local media and the MAS have been basing their analysis of the election on exit poll data from Ipsos. This shows the MAS winning the governorships of Cochabamba, Oruro, Pando and Potosí, with Beni and Chuquisaca headed for run-offs after the winner failed to win 50+1% of the vote or 40% with a 10-point victory margin – as per new electoral rules.