2017 Ecuadorian general election

2017 Ecuadorian general election

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Nominee Lenín Moreno Guillermo Lasso Party PAIS Alliance CREO Alliance United Front Alliance for Change Running mate Jorge Glas Popular vote 5,062,018 4,833,389 Percentage 51.16% 48.84%

Map of results of the second round by provinces.   Lenín Moreno   Guillermo Lasso

President before election Rafael Correa PAIS Alliance Elected President Lenin Moreno PAIS Alliance

General elections were held in Ecuador on 19 February 2017 alongside a referendum on tax havens.^[1] Voters elected a new President and National Assembly. Incumbent President Rafael Correa of the PAIS Alliance was not eligible for re-election, having served two terms. In the first round of the presidential elections, PAIS Alliance candidate Lenín Moreno received 39% of the vote. Although he was more than 10% ahead of his nearest rival, Guillermo Lasso of the Creating Opportunities party, Moreno was just short of the 40% threshold required to avoid a run-off. As a result, a second round was held on 2 April.^[2] In the second round Moreno was elected President with 51.16% of the vote.^[3][4]

Background[]

Following nearly a decade of political volatility in Ecuador that was characterized by impeachments, economic crises, and public unrest,^[5] Rafael Correa, the nation’s previous president, began his ascendance to power. During his 2006 campaign Correa established the PAIS Alliance, a coalition of leftist organizations that is the same party of current president Lenin Moreno. Lenin Moreno previously served as Correa’s vice president.^[6][7]

Throughout his campaign and during his presidency Correa mobilized populist rhetoric to gain support, framing himself in opposition to the former political elite and current economic elite: Correa used the terms “neoliberal night” (“noche neoliberal”) and “particracy” (“partidocracia”) to refer to those groups, respectively, and characterized his own movement as a “citizen’s revolution” (La revolucion ciudadana).^[8][9] Correa’s success was part of a larger wave of leftist movements in Latin American that began around the turn of century, frequently referred to as the “pink tide.” Other countries that elected left-leaning presidents in the early 2000s include Argentina (Néstor Kirchner), Venezuela (Hugo Chávez), and Brazil (Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva), among others.^[9][10]

One of the most significant events that took place during Correa’s time in office was the ratification of a new constitution in 2008.^[5] Correa advocated for the new constitution and his supporters welcomed it, citing a focus on civil rights and social programs for the impoverished.^[11][12] However, the constitution was also met with much opposition, as its detractors feared that the document would give too much economic authority to the executive and initially believed its elimination of term limits would benefit Correa himself, although a provision on the amendment assured the law would not be put into action until after his presidency had ended.^[9]

Guillermo Lasso, a former banker, initially ran for president in 2013, but lost to Correa by more than 30% of the vote in the first round.^[13] In both his first and second bids for president, Lasso was aligned with the Creating Opportunities Party (Creando Oportunidades), a conservative-leaning party that formed in 2012 and focused on celebrating the market, eliminating taxes, as well as advocating for an independent judiciary and free speech.^[14][15]

With Correa ineligible for re-election, his supporters formed an organisation Rafael Contigo Siempre (Always with you Rafael) to campaign for a constitutional amendment to allow him to run again. With signatures from 8% of the electorate required to hold a referendum (929,062), a total of 1.2 million were collected.^[16] However, Correa stated that he was planning on retiring from politics and would not run again.^[17] Instead, on 2 October 2016 the PAIS Alliance nominated Lenín Moreno, Correa's vice president from 2007 to 2013, as its candidate, with incumbent vice president Jorge Glas as his running mate.^[18] Moreno was challenged by Guillermo Lasso, a former banker.^[19]

Campaign[]

A central issue in the presidential election was corruption; scandals in the Petroecuador state oil company and Odebrecht cases led to demands that candidates develop substantive plans to deal with corruption. Moreno proposed an anti-corruption law, while Lasso proposed a Truth Commission, which would be created with assistance from the United Nations.^[20]

The two main candidates had very different visions for the country; Moreno's policy ideas were fairly similar to Correa's, while Lasso said he wanted to attack corruption and lower taxes.^[19]

Lasso said before the elections that he would not allow Julian Assange to continue living in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.^[21]

Electoral system[]

The President was elected using a modified two-round system, with a candidate required to get over 50% of the vote, or get over 40% of the vote and be 10% ahead of their nearest rival to be elected in the first round.^[22] The President is limited to two consecutive four-year terms.^[23]

The 137 members of the National Assembly were elected by three methods : 15 were elected from a nationwide constituency, 116 were elected in 31 districts (21 corresponding to the 21 smallest provinces and 10 within the 3 largest provinces, range 2-6 seats per district), and six elected from three two-member constituencies representing Ecuadorians living overseas. Elections are by open list proportional representation (every voter can vote for as many candidates as there are seats to be awarded), with the 15 national seats allocated using the Webster method and the rest using the d'Hondt method.^[24] Voting was compulsory except for voters aged 16–18 or over 65 and people classed as illiterate.^[25] Members of the National Assembly are limited to two four-year terms, either consecutive or not. There are gender quotas for the party lists, meaning there is alternation between men and women. There are no quotas for minority representation.^[23]

Parties have to receive at least 5% of the vote in national elections in order to maintain their legal registration.^[26]

Opinion polls[]

Second round[]

show2017

Date Institute Lenín Moreno Guillermo Lasso 22/03/17 Eureknow 44.3% 41.3% 22/03/17 DIAGNOSTICO 48.73% 37.07% 21/03/17 Perfiles de Opinión 49.37% 36.35% 21/03/17 CEDATOS 52.4% 47.6% 21/03/17 Market 52.1% 47.9% 19/03/17 CMS 36,76% 35,86% 16/03/17 DIAGNOSTICO 50.61% 36.72% 15/03/17 CEDATOS 49.2% 50.8% 14/03/17 Market 53.2% 46.8% 14/03/17 Perfiles de Opinión 51.02% 35.53% 12/03/17 Opinión Pública 46% 35% 09/03/17 DIAGNOSTICO 48.36% 35.70% 06/03/17 CMS 35.17% 35.01% 01/03/17 DIAGNOSTICO 50.39% 41.20% 25/02/17 CIS 59% 41% 25/02/17 CEDATOS 47.9% 52.1%

First round[]

show2017

Date Institute Lenín Moreno Guillermo Lasso Cynthia Viteri Paco Moncayo Dalo Bucaram Washington Pesántez Iván Espinel Patricio Zuquilanda End of public opinion polling (08/02/17) 08/02/17 CMS 25.63% 15.18% 6.64% 5.52% – – – – 08/02/17 CIEES 43.3% 21.3% 12.6% 10.8% 6.6% 1.0% 3.9% 0.6% 08/02/17 Opinión Pública 34.2% 18.2% 13.7% 7.4% 3.6% 0.1% 2.5% 0.6% 08/02/17 CEDATOS 32.3% 21.5% 14% 7.7% 4.1% 0.5% 2.9% 0.6% 08/02/17 Perfiles de Opinión 35% 16% 14% 7% 4% <2% 4% <2% 08/02/17 Market 28.5% 18.3% 20.2% 11.5% 4.9% 0.9% 2.6% 1.0% 28/01/17 Informe Confidencial 26.5% 17.5% 18.5% – – – – – 27/01/17 CMS 26.42% 15.51% 7.70% 5.97% 2.94% <2% <2% <2% 23/01/17 CEDATOS[permanent dead link] 34.3% 22.9% 11.4% 8.0% 4.3% 0.5% 1.7% 0.3% 21/01/17 Market 28.17% 16.57% 17.98% 13.22% 4.78% 0.59% 1.53% 1.3% 19/01/17 Estrategia y Táctica 23.6% 15.8% 12.8% 16.9% – – – – 15/01/17 Opinión Pública 34% 18.2% 8.9% 6.0% 2.9% 0.2% 1.2% 0.1% 08/01/17 Perfiles de Opinión 35% 17% 14% 8% 4% <3% <3% <3%

show2016 – fourth quarter

Date Institute Lenín Moreno Guillermo Lasso Cynthia Viteri Paco Moncayo Dalo Bucaram Washington Pesántez Iván Espinel Patricio Zuquilanda Lucio Gutiérrez Álvaro Noboa 29/12/16 CEDATOS 35.6% 22.3% 10.9% 6.9% 3.2% 0.3% 0.8% 0.4% – – 28/12/16 Market 28.6% 17.7% 19.3% 14.8% 4.0% 0.4% 0.9% 0.1% – – 19/12/16 CMS 24.63% 12.89% 7.27% 5.18% – – – – – – 19/12/16 Opinión Pública 35.9% 17.4% 7.5% 7.6% 1.7% 0.3% 0.4% 0.8% – – 15/12/16 Perfiles de Opinión 36.86% 15.23% 12.33% 4.8% 3.23% 0.60% 1.28% 0.08% – – 15/12/16 Market 31.3% 17.1% 17.4% 13.8% 3.5% 0.5% 1.2% 1.9% – – 02/12/16 CEDATOS 36.2% 22% 9.7% 7.3% 3% 0.5% 1% – 1.7% 0% 01/12/16 Estrategia y Táctica 28.68% 18.11% 13.39% 14.03% 4% – – – – – 28/11/16 Market 28.1% 18.0% 17.6% 9.5% 1.9% 0.1% 1.5% 0.3% – – 26/11/16 CMS 22.79% 11.22% 6.73% 5.22% – – – – – – 23/11/16 Opinión Pública 40% 16.1% 7.7% 6.5% 1.5% 0.1% 0.5% – – – 19/11/16 CIEES 42% 15% 9% 9% <3% – – – <3% <3% 18/11/16 Perfiles de Opinión 43% 14% 10% 8% 2% – – – – 1% 01/11/16 CMS 26.11% 11.14% 5.23% 5.89% – – – – – – 28/10/16 CEDATOS 37% 20% 10% 7% 3% 1% – – 2% 1% 26/10/16 CIEES 44% 13% 6% 8% – – – – – – 25/10/16 Market 32.2% 14.30% 16.14% 13.70% – – – – – – 25/10/16 CMS 29.91% 11.63% 6% 7.83% – – – – – – 23/10/16 Merchandising 28% 12% 5% 6% – – – – – 13% 23/10/16 Markconsult S.A. 24% 11.5% 9.1% 2% 9.3% – – – – – 23/10/16 Market 33.1% 13.8% 17.5% 10.3% 2.0% – – – – 2.3% 16/10/16 Opinión Pública 38.1% 13.7% 6.2% 6.2% 0.8% 0.6% – – – 1.6% 13/10/16 Perfiles de Opinión 48% 12% 9% 8% 2% – – – – 3%

show2016 – third quarter

Date Institute Rafael Correa Lenín Moreno Jorge Glas Guillermo Lasso Cynthia Viteri Paco Moncayo Dalo Bucaram Álvaro Noboa Lucio Gutiérrez Lourdes Tibán Lenin Hurtado Enrique Ayala Mora Washington Pesántez Jimmy Jairala Paúl Carrasco Jaime Nebot Mauricio Rodas 30/09/16 Dialoga – 31.7% – 21.4% 11.5% 4.9% 4.5% – – – – – – – – – – – 32.1% – 22.4% – 4.8% 4.9% – – – – – – – 7.9% – – 28/09/16 Informe Confidencial – 36% – 18.8% 15.7% 2.1% 2.1% – – – – – – – – – – – 33.7% – 21.1% – 2.3% 2.9% – – – – – – – 9.8% – – 16/09/16 Perfiles de Opinión – 49.06% – 15.55% 10.63% 2.27% – – – 1.37% – – – – 2.25% – – – – 30.41% 17.55% 14.77% – – – – – – – – – – – – 15/09/16 CEDATOS – 35% – 18% 8% 2% 2% 2% 2% – – – 0.2% – – – – 12/09/16 Quantum – 42% – 15% 10% 4% – – – – – – – – – – – – – 17% 16% 10% 8% – – – – – – – – – – – 12/09/16 Monitor – 31.3% – 23.4% 13.3% 4.1% – – – – – – – – – – – – – 26.9% 24.8% 13.3% 3.6% – – – – – – – – – – – 10/09/16 Opinion Pública – 44% – 14% 4% 1% 1% 1% – 1% 1% – – 4% – – – 30/08/16 Perfiles de Opinión – 54% – 16% 8% – – – 3% – – – – – – – – – – 34% 19% 13% – – – 3% – – – – – – – – 23/08/16 Monitor – – 23.4% 20.5% 17.3% 4.8% – – – – – – – – – – – – 33% – 19.5% 16.2% 4.4% – – – – – – – – – – – 25.8% – – 20.6% 17.5% 4.8% – – – – – – – – – – – 03/08/16 Informe Confidencial – 39.3% – 12.5% 7.4% – 0.9% 1.7% 1.6% – – 0.4% – – – – – – – 27.3% 13.6% 11.8% – 1% 1.9% 2.2% – – 0.4% – – – – – 22/07/16 CEDATOS – 35% – 22% 8% – 2% 2% 2% 1% 1% 1% 0.1% – – – – 28% – – 21% 8% – 2% 2% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1% – – – – – – 20% 24% 10% – 3% 2% 2% 1% 1% 1% 0.1% – – – – 04/07/16 Perfiles de Opinion – 43.5% – 13.2% 15.5% – 1.3% 4.2% – – – 1.2% 0.2% – – – – – – 25.5% 16.8% 17.4% – 1.7% 4.8% – – – 2.9% 0.8% – – – – 03/07/16 CEDATOS – – 25% 31% 1% – 2% 2% – 1% 0.2% 1% 0.1% 1% – – – 28% – – 27% – – 1% – – – – – – – 0% 11% – 28% – – 28% – – 1% – 1% – – – 0% – – – 6% 07/16 Opinion Pública – 38% – 17% 5% 2% 1% – – – 1% – – 6% – – –

show2016 – second quarter
Date Institute Lenín Moreno Jorge Glas Guillermo Lasso Jaime Nebot Cynthia Viteri Paco Moncayo Álvaro Noboa Dalo Bucaram Washington Pesántez Lourdes Tibán 29/06/16 CEDATOS 44% – 26% – 1% – – 1% 0.1% 1% – 25% 29% – 1% – – 2% 0.3% 2% 42% – 23% 10% – – – 1% 0% 1% 01/05/16 Perfiles de Opinión 50% – 9% 15% – 2% 2% 2% 1% – – 25% 14% 20% – 4% 3% 1% 1% –

show2016 – first quarter

Date Institute Rafael Correa Jorge Glas Lenín Moreno Guillermo Lasso Jaime Nebot Mauricio Rodas Dalo Bucaram Ramiro González Cynthia Viteri Alberto Dahik Carlos Pérez Lucio Gutiérrez Álvaro Noboa Lenin Hurtado Paúl Carrasco 21/02/16 Opinion Pública – – 34% 10% 10% – 1% 1% – – – 2% 1% 1% – 17/02/16 CEDATOS – 19% – 40% – – 4% – 4% 1% 0% – – – – 34% – – 26% 13% – 1% – – – – – – – 0% 36% – – 27% – 8% 7% – – – – 1% – – – 10/01/16 Perfiles de Opinión – 29.8% – 20.8% – 14.4% 3.3% 1.9% – – – – – – – – 28.5% – 16.1% 23.9% – 2.8% 2.4% – – – – – – –

show2015

Date Institute Rafael Correa Lenín Moreno Guillermo Lasso Mauricio Rodas Jaime Nebot Lucio Gutiérrez Alberto Acosta Paúl Carrasco Ramiro González Álvaro Noboa 21/12/15 Perfiles de Opinión – 58% 9% – 16% – – – 1% – – 60% 13% 7% – – – – 1% – 11/12/15 Opinion Pública – 35% 10% 6% 6% 1% 0.4% – 2% 0.4% 03/10/15 Opinion Pública 37% – 12% 10% 6% 2% – – 1% – 06/08/15 Opinion Pública 34% – 11% 9% 4% 2% – 1% – – 13/07/15 CEDATOS 40.4% – 24% 12.3% 8.1% – – – – –

show2014
Date Institute Rafael Correa Guillermo Lasso Mauricio Rodas Lucio Gutiérrez Alberto Acosta Álvaro Noboa Norman Wray Nelson Zavala Jorge Glas Lenín Moreno Jaime Nebot Isabel Noboa Ramiro González Vinicio Alvarado 19/06/14 CEDATOS 50% 16.7% 11.1% 1.2% 0.5% 1.4% 0.3% 0.3% – – – – – – – 22.6% 15.6% 2.1% 0.7% – – – 17.6% 13.3% 6.2% 0.6% 0.6% 0.3%

show2013
Date Institute Rafael Correa Guillermo Lasso Mauricio Rodas Lucio Gutiérrez Alberto Acosta Álvaro Noboa Norman Wray Nelson Zavala Jorge Glas 10/12/13 CEDATOS 60% 22% 4% 1% 1% 1% 1% 0.1% – – 31% 5% 1% 2% 1% 0.4% 0.1% 29% 13/10/13 CEDATOS 56% 24% 7% 1% 2% 1% 1% 1% – – 31% 7% 2% 2% 1% 2% 1% 23%

Results[]

President[]

The first-round count was delayed for four days, far longer than usual, raising suspicions from the Lasso camp. In past years, the first-round results were known on election day. Election officials blamed the delays on "numerical inconsistencies" in some ballots. Moreno maintained a consistent lead throughout the count. However, by the fourth day of counting, it was no longer mathematically possible for him to win an outright victory—setting the stage for the runoff.^[2]

A recount would have taken weeks and Lenin Moreno (usually referred to as just “Lenin”) challenged all the allegations of fraud. President Correa said that "the moral fraud committed by the right will not go unpunished." Moreno said he will represent those who voted and those who didn’t, tweeting "Long live Ecuador! Welcome fighters of peace and of life” along with a picture of him immediately after winning the election. His opponent Lasso, however, encouraged the people to peacefully protest the election results. He tweeted: "Let's act in a peaceful but firm manner, we must go to the streets and say 'don't steal my vote' because we want a change in Ecuador."^[27]

The National Electoral Council announced on 13 April that it would recount all ballots contested by both parties, accounting to about 10% of the total vote.^[28] Moreno also led the vote after recount of some of the votes, increasing the number of votes obtained by 1,594.^[29]

Candidate		Running mate	Party	First round		Second round
				Votes	%	Votes	%
	Lenín Moreno	Jorge Glas	PAIS Alliance	3,716,343	39.36	5,062,018	51.16
	Guillermo Lasso	Andrés Páez	Alliance for Change (CREO-SUMA)	2,652,403	28.09	4,833,389	48.84
	Cynthia Viteri	Mauricio Pozo Crespo	Social Christian Party	1,540,903	16.32
	Paco Moncayo	Monserratt Bustamante	National Agreement for Change	634,033	6.71
	Abdalá Bucaram Jr.	Ramiro Aguilar	Fuerza Ecuador	455,187	4.82
	Iván Espinel Molina	Doris Quiroz		299,840	3.18
	Patricio Zuquilanda Duque	Johnnie Jorgge Álava	Patriotic Society Party	72,679	0.77
	Washington Pesántez	Álex Alcívar	Ecuadorian Union Movement	71,107	0.75
Total				9,442,495	100.00	9,895,407	100.00
Valid votes				9,442,495	90.23	9,895,407	93.04
Invalid/blank votes				1,022,812	9.77	740,167	6.96
Total votes				10,465,307	100.00	10,635,574	100.00
Registered voters/turnout				12,816,698	81.65	12,816,698	82.98
Source: CNE

National Assembly[]

The National Assembly makes up the legislative branch of Ecuadorean government. These elected officials have the power to pass laws, while judges of the national court of justice are chosen by a separate judicial council.^[30]

Party	National			Provincial			Overseas			Total seats	+/–
	Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats
PAIS Alliance	3,184,004	39.07	7	3,061,618	36.54	67	47,344	44.46	4	74	–36
Alliance for Change (CREO–SUMA)	1,634,786	20.06	3	1,654,318	19.74	29	20,548	19.29	2	34	+24
Social Christian Party	1,295,768	15.90	3	1,251,923	14.94	12	22,240	20.88	0	15	+7
Fuerza Ecuador	387,100	4.75	1	344,468	4.11	0	396	0.37	0	1	0
Democratic Left|	307,235	3.77	1	348,919	4.17	3	2,628	2.47	0	4	New
Patriotic Society Party	239,594	2.94	0	186,354	2.24	2	1,355	1.27	0	2	–3
Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement	217,591	2.67	0	216,523	2.58	4	776	0.73	0	4	–1
	175,213	2.15	0	223,339	2.67	0	2,685	2.52	0	0	–5
Social Commitment Force	159,259	1.96	0	128,767	1.54	0	1,509	1.42	0	0	New
Popular Unity	130,391	1.60	0	226,369	2.70	0	857	0.80	0	0	0
Forward Ecuadorian. Forward Party	106,758	1.32	0	133,351	1.59	0	1,866	1.75	0	0	0
Democratic Centre	92,904	1.14	0	136,955	1.63	0	1,285	1.21	0	0	New
Coalition Movement	82,309	1.01	0	63,913	0.76	0	–	–	–	0	0
Ecuadorian Socialist Party	70,085	0.86	0	120,796	1.44	0	1,236	1.16	0	0	0
Ecuadorian Union Movement	66,489	0.79	0	71,917	0.86	0	1,778	1.67	0	0	New
Provincial movements (MSC/UpP/MPCG)	–	–	–	209,135	2.49	3	–	–	–	3	0
Total	8,149,486	100.00	15	8,378,665	100.00	116	106,503	100.00	6	137	0
Valid votes	8,149,486	77.79		8,378,665	80.97		106,503	79.94
Invalid/blank votes	2,326,745	22.21		1,966,557	19.03		26,727	20.06
Total	10,476,231	100.00		10,345,192	100.00		133,230	100.00
Registered voters/turnout	12,816,698	81.68		12,436,606	83.18		378,292	35.22
Source: El Telegrafo, CNE

Andean Parliament[]

Party		Votes	%	Seats
	PAIS Alliance–Ecuadorian Socialist Party	13,394,755	36.98	3
	Alliance for Change (CREO–SUMA)	6,853,777	18.92	1
	Social Christian Party	6,080,202	16.79	1
	National Agreement for Change	3,890,349	10.74	0
	Fuerza Ecuador	1,866,345	5.15	0
	Advance	934,235	2.58	0
	Social Commitment Force	881,398	2.43	0
	Patriotic Society Party	851,743	2.35	0
		533,881	1.47	0
	Forward Ecuadorian, Forward	513,780	1.42	0
	Coalition Movement	422,716	1.17	0
Total		36,223,181	100.00	5
Valid votes		36,223,181	94.19
Invalid/blank votes		2,234,106	5.81
Total votes		38,457,287	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		12,816,698	300.06
Source: CNE

See also[]

•  [es; zh]

References[]