At stake in this election:

• 45 seats in the Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores)
• 80 seats in the Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Federico FRANCO Gómez *
• Head of Government: President Federico FRANCO Gómez
• Assembly: Paraguay has a bicameral Congress (Congreso) consisting of the Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores) with 45 seats and the Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados) with 80 seats.

* The President is both Chief of State and Head of Government.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term.
• President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term.
• In the Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores) 45 members are elected by popular vote to serve 5-year terms. In the Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados) 80 members are elected by popular vote to serve 5-year terms.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: National Republican Association / Colorado Party / Asociacion Nacional Republicana (ANR)
  • Leader: Lilian SAMANIEGO
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Senators election: 19
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Senators election: 15
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 44
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 30
• Party: Authentic Liberal Radical Party / Partido Liberal Radical Autentico (PLRA)
  • Leader: Ramón GOMEZ Verlangieri
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Senators election: 12
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Senators election: 14
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 27
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 27
• Party: Beloved Fatherland / Patria Querida (PQ)
  • Leader: Roberto CAMPOS
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Senators election: 1
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Senators election: 4
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 1
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 3
• Coalition: Front Guasu (FG) / Frente Guasú (FG)****
  • Leader: Fernando LUGO
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Senators election: 5
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Senators election: N/A
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 1
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: N/A
• Coalition: Forward Country / Avanza Pais (AP)*****
  • Leader: Mario FERREIRO
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Senators election: 2
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Senators election: N/A
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 2
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: N/A
• Party: National Union of Ethical Citizens / Union Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos (UNACE)******
  • Leader: Carmelo BANITEZ
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Senators election: 2
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Senators election: 9
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 2
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 15

**** FG is a coalition of center-left and leftist opposition parties supported by former President Fernando LUGO.
***** AP is a coalition of opposition parties.
****** UNACE party Chairman and Presidential candidate Lino OVIEDO was killed in a helicopter crash in February 2013.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 6,465,669 (2013)
• Registered Voters: 3,516,275 (2013)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 3,184,123 (2013)

·         Is Paraguay a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Paraguay ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (12 January 1995)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 14 (Chamber of Deputies); 9 (Senate) following the 2008 elections

·         Human Development Index Position: 112 (2014) 

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Low (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Paraguay a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Paraguay ratified CRPD: Yes (3 September 2008)

·         Population with a disability: 969,850 (est.)