Bolivia: Government Structure

Bolivia's government is organized under the 2009 Constitution as a Plurinational State, with power divided among four constitutionally recognized branches: executive, legislative, judicial, and electoral. This four-branch arrangement, including a distinct Electoral Branch responsible for organizing and overseeing elections, distinguishes Bolivia's framework from the three-branch systems more common elsewhere in the region.

The President, who serves as both head of state and head of government, is elected by universal vote alongside the Vice President for a five-year term, with one consecutive reelection permitted. Legislative power belongs to the bicameral Plurinational Legislative Assembly, made up of a 36-member Chamber of Senators and a 130-member Chamber of Deputies; the Vice President serves as the ex officio president of the Assembly. Deputies are chosen through a mix of direct and proportional voting, while each of Bolivia's departments elects an equal number of senators.

The judiciary operates through the Supreme Court, district and lower courts, and the Council of the Magistracy, dispensing justice under both ordinary and indigenous jurisdictions, while a separate Constitutional Court handles matters of constitutional review. The Electoral Branch, led by the Plurinational Electoral Body, is tasked with organizing elections and referenda and overseeing the country's system of political representation, a structural feature that sets Bolivia apart from most of its neighbors.