# Politics of Paraguay

Politics of Paraguay takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic. The National Constitution mandates a separation of powers in three branches. Executive power is exercised solely by the President. Legislative power is vested in the two chambers of the National Congress. The Judiciary power is vested on Tribunals and Courts of Civil Law and a nine-member Supreme Court of Justice, all of them independent of the executive and the legislature.
The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Paraguay a "flawed democracy" in 2023. Paraguay was for several decades under dictatorial rule by Alfredo Stroessner and his Colorado Party until he was ousted from power in 1989, which set off a democratization process. Since then, there has been an expansion of civil and political liberties, as well as elections at presidential, congressional, and municipal levels. However, the democratization process has been limited due to the firm control of the Colorado Party on the Paraguay state. The Colorado Party retains power through clientelistic practices. Corruption is widespread in Paraguay.

## Executive branch

Main office-holders :
| Office | Name | Party | Since |
| President | Santiago Peña | Colorado Party | 15 August 2023 |
The president, popularly elected for one 5-year term with no chance of re-elections, appoints a cabinet. The president nominates the Council of Ministers. The presidential elections of 2008 were won by Fernando Lugo, a Roman Catholic bishop whose ministerial duties have been suspended on his request by the Holy See. It was the first time in 61 years that the Colorado Party lost a presidential election in Paraguay, and only a second time that a leftist will serve as president (first time was in 1936–37) and first time freely elected.
In May 2023, Santiago Peña of the long-ruling Colorado Party, won the presidential election to succeed Mario Abdo as the next President of Paraguay. On 15 August 2023, Santiago Peña was sworn in as Paraguay's new president.
The workplace of the President of Paraguay is the Palacio de los López, in Asunción. The Presidential Residence is Mburuvichá Roga, also in Asunción.
Once presidents leave office, they are granted by the Constitution the speaking-but-non-voting position of Senator for life.

### Office of the First Lady

In Paraguay, the post of the First Lady of Paraguay is official.

## Legislative branch

The National Congress (Congreso Nacional) has two chambers. The Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados) has 80 members, elected for a five-year term by proportional representation. The Chamber of Senators (Cámara de Senadores) has 45 members, elected for a five-year term by proportional representation.

## Political parties and elections
### Latest elections
#### President

| Candidate | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
| | Mario Abdo Benítez | Colorado Party | 1,206,067 | 48.96 |
| | Efraín Alegre | Great Renewed National Alliance | 1,110,464 | 45.08 |
| | Juan Bautista Ybáñez | Paraguay Green Party | 84,045 | 3.41 |
| | Jaro Anzoátegui | National Artists' Movement | 15,490 | 0.63 |
| | Atanasio Galeano | Popular Patriotic Movement Party | 9,908 | 0.40 |
| | Ramón Ernesto Benítez | Patriotic Reserve Movement | 9,361 | 0.38 |
| | Pedro Almada | Broad Front Party | 8,590 | 0.35 |
| | Efraín Enríquez | National Sovereign Movement | 7,291 | 0.30 |
| | Celino Ferreira | Movimiento Civico Nacional Unamonos | 6,295 | 0.26 |
| | Justo Germán Ortega | Heirs Democratic Socialist Party | 5,930 | 0.24 |
| Total | Total | Total | 2,463,441 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 2,463,441 | 94.82 |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 71,924 | 2.77 |
| Blank votes | Blank votes | Blank votes | 62,624 | 2.41 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,597,989 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 4,241,507 | 61.25 |
| Source: TSJE |||||

#### Senate

| | Colorado Party | 766,841 | 32.52 | 17 | –2 |
| | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | 570,205 | 24.18 | 13 | 0 |
| | Guasú Front | 279,008 | 11.83 | 6 | +1 |
| | Beloved Fatherland Party | 159,625 | 6.77 | 3 | +3 |
| | Hagamos Party | 105,375 | 4.47 | 2 | New |
| | Progressive Democratic Party | 86,216 | 3.66 | 2 | –1 |
| | National Crusade Movement | 58,409 | 2.48 | 1 | New |
| | National Union of Ethical Citizens | 49,889 | 2.12 | 1 | –1 |
| | Green Party | 37,812 | 1.60 | 0 | 0 |
| | We are Paraguay | 34,623 | 1.47 | 0 | New |
| | National Encounter Party | 30,365 | 1.29 | 0 | –1 |
| | Plurinational Indigenous Political Movement | 25,785 | 1.09 | 0 | New |
| | Christian Democratic Party | 16,619 | 0.70 | 0 | New |
| | Secure Paraguay | 15,005 | 0.64 | 0 | New |
| | Party of the Movement for Socialism | 14,773 | 0.63 | 0 | New |
| | Patriotic Reserve Movement | 14,397 | 0.61 | 0 | New |
| | Revolutionary Febrerista Party | 14,332 | 0.61 | 0 | 0 |
| | Kuña Pyrenda Movement | 9,795 | 0.42 | 0 | 0 |
| | Civic Compromise | 9,542 | 0.40 | 0 | New |
| | Concertación Nacional Avancemos País | 9,478 | 0.40 | 0 | New |
| | Party of the A | 8,934 | 0.38 | 0 | New |
| | All for Paraguay United Movement | 7,269 | 0.31 | 0 | New |
| | National Artists' Movement | 6,775 | 0.29 | 0 | New |
| | Us | 5,948 | 0.25 | 0 | New |
| | Heirs Democratic Socialist Party | 5,275 | 0.22 | 0 | New |
| | National Political Sovereignty Movement | 5,065 | 0.21 | 0 | New |
| | Movimiento Civico Nacional Unamonos | 5,040 | 0.21 | 0 | New |
| | Broad Front Party | 3,403 | 0.14 | 0 | New |
| | Union and Equality Political Movement | 2,500 | 0.11 | 0 | New |
| Total | Total | 2,358,303 | 100.00 | 45 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 2,358,303 | 91.11 | | |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 92,716 | 3.58 | | |
| Blank votes | Blank votes | 137,277 | 5.30 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 2,588,296 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 4,241,507 | 61.02 | | |
| Source: TSJE ||||||

#### Chamber of Deputies

| | Colorado Party | 927,183 | 39.10 | 42 | –2 |
| | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | 420,821 | 17.74 | 17 | – |
| | Great Renewed National Alliance | 286,513 | 12.08 | 13 | – |
| | Beloved Fatherland Party | 105,765 | 4.46 | 3 | +2 |
| | Hagamos Party | 75,601 | 3.19 | 2 | New |
| | National Encounter Party | 75,514 | 3.18 | 2 | 0 |
| | National Union of Ethical Citizens | 65,593 | 2.77 | 0 | –2 |
| | Guasú Front | 42,891 | 1.81 | 0 | –1 |
| | Green Party | 42,053 | 1.77 | 0 | 0 |
| | National Crusade Movement | 33,417 | 1.41 | 1 | New |
| | Progressive Democratic Party | 27,932 | 1.18 | 0 | 0 |
| | Christian Democratic Party | 26,783 | 1.13 | 0 | New |
| | Civic Compromise | 21,651 | 0.91 | 0 | New |
| | Broad Front Party | 20,594 | 0.87 | 0 | New |
| | We are Paraguay | 18,060 | 0.76 | 0 | New |
| | Concertación Nacional Avancemos País | 16,070 | 0.68 | 0 | New |
| | Revolutionary Febrerista Party | 15,169 | 0.64 | 0 | New |
| | National Artists' Movement | 11,727 | 0.49 | 0 | New |
| | Youth Party | 10,871 | 0.46 | 0 | 0 |
| | Us | 10,816 | 0.46 | 0 | New |
| | Secure Paraguay | 9,651 | 0.41 | 0 | New |
| | Patriotic Reserve Movement | 9,648 | 0.41 | 0 | New |
| | Civic Participation Party | 9,567 | 0.40 | 0 | New |
| | Party of the A | 9,043 | 0.38 | 0 | New |
| | Heirs Democratic Socialist Party | 8,832 | 0.37 | 0 | New |
| | Itapua for All Alliance | 8,683 | 0.37 | 0 | New |
| | Plurinational Indigenous Political Movement | 8,094 | 0.34 | 0 | New |
| | Movimiento Civico Nacional Unamonos | 7,241 | 0.31 | 0 | New |
| | Party of the Movement for Socialism | 6,207 | 0.26 | 0 | New |
| | All for Paraguay United Movement | 5,871 | 0.25 | 0 | New |
| | Ganar Alliance | 5,476 | 0.23 | 0 | – |
| | Party of the Patriotic Popular Movement | 5,147 | 0.22 | 0 | New |
| | National Political Sovereignty Movement | 4,457 | 0.19 | 0 | New |
| | Let's Continue Building Alliance | 4,183 | 0.18 | 0 | New |
| | Union and Equality Political Movement | 3,775 | 0.16 | 0 | New |
| | Itapuense Front Alliance | 3,036 | 0.13 | 0 | New |
| | Concertación por Vos | 2,407 | 0.10 | 0 | New |
| | Party of Popular Unity | 1,329 | 0.06 | 0 | New |
| | Tekojoja People's Movement | 1,046 | 0.04 | 0 | New |
| | Movimiento Politico Civico Nacional Unamonos | 949 | 0.04 | 0 | New |
| | All for Ñeembucu | 772 | 0.03 | 0 | New |
| | Mbarete Independent Political Movement | 595 | 0.03 | 0 | New |
| | Teete Patriotic Front Party | 574 | 0.02 | 0 | New |
| Total | Total | 2,371,607 | 100.00 | 80 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 2,371,607 | 91.84 | | |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 78,457 | 3.04 | | |
| Blank votes | Blank votes | 132,296 | 5.12 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 2,582,360 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 4,241,507 | 60.88 | | |
| Source: TSJE ||||||

## Judicial branch

Paraguay's highest court is the Supreme Court of Paraguay.

## Administrative divisions

The Constitution of Paraguay states "The law will regulate the various areas in which these officials and employees can provide their services, including the judicial, the diplomatic and consular professions, the areas of scientific and technological research, civil services, military and police. This will not preclude others. " Each of Paraguay's 17 departments is headed by a popularly elected governor. Paraguay is divided in 17 departments (departamentos, singular – departamento) and one capital city; Alto Paraguay, Alto Paraná, Amambay, Asunción (city), Boquerón, Caaguazú, Caazapá, Canindeyú, Central, Concepción, Cordillera, Guairá, Itapúa, Misiones, Ñeembucú, Paraguarí, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro.