Ecuadorian referendum, 1997

A fourteen-part referendum was held in Ecuador on 25 May 1997. Voters were asked whether they approved of the dismissal of President Abdalá Bucaram by the National Congress, the appointment of Fabián Alarcón as interim President for twelve months, the calling of a Constitutional Assembly, whether a Constitutional Assembly should be elected by direct elections or by appointment, whether spending limits should be introduced for election campaigns, whether voters should be able to modify electoral lists, whether National Assembly elections should be held alongside the first or second round of presidential elections,^[1] whether political parties that fail to cross the 5% threshold in two consecutive elections should be deregistered, whether the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) should reflect the political makeup of the National Congress, whether the National Congress should appoint managers of state-owned companies with a two-thirds majority, reforms to the justice system, allowing the Supreme Court to appoint judicial authority member, whether elected officials who commit a criminal offence should be removed from office, and whether the National Assembly should implement the 13 proposals.^[2] All eleven proposals were rejected.^[2]

After all yes/no questions were approved,^[2] a Constitutional Assembly was subsequently elected in 1997 and produced a new constitution which entered into force on 10 August 1998.^[3]

Background

On 6 February 1997 the Constitutional Assembly had removed President Bucaram from office due to "mental retardation". However, it had not been done by a majority of 67 of the 100 members as proscribed by the constitution. On 8 April interim President Alarcón issued decree 201, calling a referendum on 14 questions, as allowed by article 58 of the constitution.^[3]

Results

Yes/no questions

Issue	For		Against		Invalid/ blank	Total	Registered voters	Turnout
	Votes	%	Votes	%
Removal of President Abdalá Bucaram from office	2,488,778	75.76	796,154	24.24	798,174	4,083,106	6,890,832	59.25
Appointment of Fabián Alarcón Rivera as interim President	2,241,299	68.37	1,036,722	31.63	802,602	4,080,623		59.2
Election of a Constitutional Assembly	1,903,962	64.58	1,044,188	35.42	1,130,671	4,078,821		59.19
Spending limits on election campaigns	1,999,776	69.87	862,377	30.13	1,218,078	4,080,231		59.21
Deregister parties failing to cross the 5% threshold twice in a row	1,892,180	68.45	872,330	31.55	1,314,947	4,079,457		59.20
TSE composition to reflect party strength	1,592,945	58.67	1,122,234	41.33	1,361,927	4,077,106		59.17
National Assembly to appoint heads of state-owned companies	1,373,957	50.75	1,333,339	49.25	1,369,447	4,076,743		59.16
Judicial reforms	1,651,162	60.73	1,067,724	39.27	1,356,506	4,075,392		59.14
Supreme Court to elect judicial authorities	1,512,406	55.97	1,189,976	44.03	1,372,931	4,075,313		59.14
Sacking of elected officials who commit criminal offences	1,615,292	60.25	1,065,850	39.75	1,393,477	4,074,619		59.13
Allowing electoral list modification	1,250,663	51.65	1,170,865	48.35	1,649,311	4,070,839		59.08
National Assembly to pass reforms within 60 days	1,790,383	66.88	886,459	33.12	1,396,259	4,073,101		59.11
Source: Direct Democracy

Method of election of a Constitutional Assembly

Choice	Votes	%
Purely elected	1,454,306	59.85
Partially elected, partially appointed	975,807	40,15
Invalid/blank votes	1,643,431	–
Total	4,073,544	100
Registered voters/turnout	6,890,832	59.12
Source: Direct Democracy

Timing of National Assembly elections

Choice	Votes	%
Alongside first round of presidential elections	1,469,052	61.30
Alongside second round of presidential elections	927,290	38.70
Invalid/blank votes	1,678,271	–
Total	4,074,613	100
Registered voters/turnout	6,890,832	59.13
Source: Direct Democracy

References

1. Ecuador, 25 May 1997: Parliamentary elections with the first or second round of presidential elections Direct Democracy (German)
2. Anita Breuer (2007) Institutions of Direct Democracy and Accountability in Latin America’s Presidential Democracies Democratization, Vol 14, No 4, August 2007, pp 554–579
3. Ecuador, 25 May 1997: Removal of President Abdalá Bucaram Direct Democracy (German)