At stake in this election:

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

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Nicanor DUARTE Frutos *
• Head of Government: President Nicanor DUARTE Frutos
• 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 the chief of state and head of government.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by plurality vote to serve a 5-year term.
• In the Chamber of Senators (Camara de Senadores) 45 members are elected through a closed-list proportional representation system to serve 5-year terms*. In the Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados) 80 members are elected through a closed-list proportional representation system to serve 5-year terms.**

* Senators are elected in one national constituency.

** The Chamber of deputies is divided into 18 multi member constituencies.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Alliance: National Republican Association - Colorado Party / Asocación Nacional Republicana - Partido Colorado (ANR)
  • Leader: Jose Alberto ALDERETE
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Senators election: 15
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Senators election: 16
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 30
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 37
• Party: Authentic Liberal Radical Party / Partido Liberal Radical Autentico (PLRA)
  • Leader: Blas LLANO
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Senators election: 14
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Senators election: 12
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 27
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 21
• Party: Beloved Fatherland Party / Patria Querida (PPQ)
  • Leader: Pedro FADUL
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Senators election: 4
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Senators election: 7
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 3
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 10
• Party: National Union of Ethical Citizens Movement / Movimiento Union Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos (UNACE)
  • Leader: Enrique GONZALEZ Quintana
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Senators election: 9
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Senators election: 7
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 15
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 10
• Party: Party for a Country of Solidarity / Partido Pais Solidario (PPS)
  • Leader: Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA Pallares
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Senators election: 4
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Senators election: 2
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 0
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 2
• Party: National Encounter Party / Partido Encuentro Nacional (PEN)
  • Leader: Diego ABENTE
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Senators election: 0
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Senators election: 1
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 0
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 0

Population and registered voters:

• Population: 6,047,131 (2008)
• Registered Voters: 2,861,940 (2008)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 2,981,439 (2008)

·         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: 10 (Chamber of Deputies); 7 (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: 907,069 (est.)