HONDURAS: parliamentary elections Congreso Nacional, 2001

HONDURAS
Parliamentary Chamber: Congreso Nacional

ELECTIONS HELD IN 2001

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for HONDURAS <<<

Chamber:

Congreso Nacional

Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):

25 November 2001

Purpose of elections:

Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.

Background and outcome of elections:

Parliamentary and presidential elections took place on 25 November 2001. Voters elected the nation's President, the 128 deputies in the National Congress, 20 representatives to the Central American Parliament (Parlacen) and 298 mayors.
During the electoral campaign, the liberal presidential candidate, Rafael Pineda Ponce, appealed to the electorate to vote for continuity as he promised more spending on education and offered to improve public services with money gained by cracking down on tax evaders. His opponent, Ricardo Maduro of the Nationalist Party, focussed his campaign on crime and poverty issues as the country was witnessing an economic crisis aggravated by Hurricane Mitch that in 1998 killed thousands and caused billions of dollars in damage. The economic hardship had forced hundreds of thousands of Hondurans to seek work in the United States, where voting booths were set up for them in several cities.
A leading opposition politician was murdered on the eve of the elections. Angel Pacheco, a National Party congressional candidate in the southwest province of Valle, was shot dead by gunmen in front of his house in Nacaome, about 200 kilometres southwest of Tegucigalpa. Police said they had arrested at least three people in connection with the assassination.
International observers described the elections as peaceful and fair.
Mr Ricardo Maduro won the presidential election with about 53% of the vote, against about 44% for Mr Rafael Pineda (Liberal Party). Mr Maduro's National Party (PN) will not have an absolute majority in the newly elected Congress, as it obtained only 61 seats. The outgoing Liberal Party won 55 seats. The small parties, Party of Democratic Unification (PUD), the Innovation and Unity Party, and the Christian Democratic Party of Honduras (PDCH), that obtained 5, 4 and 3 seats respectively, made headway in the elections and will now have more influence in the country's politics.
Mr Maduro took office on 27 January 2002.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (25 November 2001): Elections results

Voters 2 179 181 (66.27%)

Round no 1: Distribution of votes

Political Group Votes %

National party (PN) 967 733 46.46

Liberal Party (PL) 850 290 40.82

Party of Democratic Unification (PUD) 92 818 4.46

Christian Democratic Party of Honduras (PDCH) 76 886 3.69

Innovation and Unity Party (PINU) 95 059 4.56

Round no 1: Distribution of seats

Political Group Total

National party (PN) 61

Liberal Party (PL) 55

Party of Democratic Unification (PUD) 5

Christian Democratic Party of Honduras (PDCH) 4

Innovation and Unity Party (PINU) 3

Distribution of seats according to sex:

Men: 121

Women: 7

Percent of women: 5.47

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for HONDURAS <<<

Chamber:
	Congreso Nacional
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	25 November 2001
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.
Background and outcome of elections:
	Parliamentary and presidential elections took place on 25 November 2001. Voters elected the nation's President, the 128 deputies in the National Congress, 20 representatives to the Central American Parliament (Parlacen) and 298 mayors. During the electoral campaign, the liberal presidential candidate, Rafael Pineda Ponce, appealed to the electorate to vote for continuity as he promised more spending on education and offered to improve public services with money gained by cracking down on tax evaders. His opponent, Ricardo Maduro of the Nationalist Party, focussed his campaign on crime and poverty issues as the country was witnessing an economic crisis aggravated by Hurricane Mitch that in 1998 killed thousands and caused billions of dollars in damage. The economic hardship had forced hundreds of thousands of Hondurans to seek work in the United States, where voting booths were set up for them in several cities. A leading opposition politician was murdered on the eve of the elections. Angel Pacheco, a National Party congressional candidate in the southwest province of Valle, was shot dead by gunmen in front of his house in Nacaome, about 200 kilometres southwest of Tegucigalpa. Police said they had arrested at least three people in connection with the assassination. International observers described the elections as peaceful and fair. Mr Ricardo Maduro won the presidential election with about 53% of the vote, against about 44% for Mr Rafael Pineda (Liberal Party). Mr Maduro's National Party (PN) will not have an absolute majority in the newly elected Congress, as it obtained only 61 seats. The outgoing Liberal Party won 55 seats. The small parties, Party of Democratic Unification (PUD), the Innovation and Unity Party, and the Christian Democratic Party of Honduras (PDCH), that obtained 5, 4 and 3 seats respectively, made headway in the elections and will now have more influence in the country's politics. Mr Maduro took office on 27 January 2002.

Round no 1 (25 November 2001): Elections results
Voters	2 179 181 (66.27%)

Round no 1: Distribution of votes
Political Group	Votes	%
National party (PN)	967 733	46.46
Liberal Party (PL)	850 290	40.82
Party of Democratic Unification (PUD)	92 818	4.46
Christian Democratic Party of Honduras (PDCH)	76 886	3.69
Innovation and Unity Party (PINU)	95 059	4.56

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total
National party (PN)	61
Liberal Party (PL)	55
Party of Democratic Unification (PUD)	5
Christian Democratic Party of Honduras (PDCH)	4
Innovation and Unity Party (PINU)	3

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	121
Women:	7
Percent of women:	5.47