Parliamentary System of Government in Bolivia

Abstract

This study is presented with an academic focus; however, the author is also motivated by a profound civic and patriotic commitment, driven by what he identifies as the urgent need to ensure the survival of the Bolivian state in the face of the constant and recurring political crises that have marked nearly two centuries of its history—an emblematic milestone soon to be commemorated. Particular emphasis is placed on the past two decades, during which the erratic course of the current system of government has resulted in severe institutional deterioration, with developments that seriously jeopardize the country’s very existence. Adopting a legal-historical approach, the analysis highlights the pressing need for profound structural reform in light of the pronounced fragility of the Presidential System. Beyond purely academic considerations, the study aims to demonstrate the obsolescence and erosion of Bolivia’s constitutional framework under presidentialism. It recommends addressing with urgency the transition toward a Parliamentary System of Government—one capable of overcoming excessive bureaucracy, achieving competent and efficient governance, and establishing genuine administrative decentralization and autonomy for the country’s Departments, features that have been systematically undermined by the prevailing presidentialist regime.