Nicaraguan general election, 1996
Encyclopedia
A general election was held in Nicaragua
to elect a president and parliament on 20 October 1996.
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
to elect a president and parliament on 20 October 1996.
Presidential election results
| Candidate | Party/Alliance | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| José Arnoldo Alemán Lacayo | Liberal Alliance (AL) = Constitutionalist Liberal Party (PLC) / Independent Liberal Party for National Unity Independent Liberal Party for National Unity The Independent Liberal Party for National Unity is a Nicaraguan centre-right party that split from the Independent Liberal Party in 1984 as a consequence of PLI's decision to participate in the 1984 elections. PLIUN received legal status in 1989... (PLIUN) / Nationalist Liberal Party Nationalist Liberal Party The Nationalist Liberal Party is a centre-right political party in Nicaragua. It was established by Anastasio Somoza García in the 1930s. When it was formed, it drew its members mainly from factions within the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party.... (PLN) / Neoliberal Party (PALI) |
896,207 | 50.99% |
| José Daniel Ortega Saavedra | Sandinista National Liberation Front Sandinista National Liberation Front The Sandinista National Liberation Front is a socialist political party in Nicaragua. Its members are called Sandinistas in both English and Spanish... (FSLN) |
664,909 | 37.83% |
| Guillermo Antonio Osorno Molina | Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path The Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path is a Nicaraguan political party founded in 1996 by the Assemblies of God pastor Guillermo Osorno. CCN participated for the first time in the Nicaraguan general elections in 1996 where they got 4.10% of the votes and 4 seats in the National Assembly.In... (PCCN) |
71,908 | 04.09% |
| Noel José Vidaurre Argüello | Conservative Party of Nicaragua Conservative Party of Nicaragua The Conservative Party is a conservative political party in Nicaragua.The party's colour is green and its emblem is a torch of freedom in a circle. Its slogan is “Dios, Orden, Justicia” , often depicted on the three sides of a triangle.-History:The conservative party is the oldest currently... (PCN) |
39,983 | 02.27% |
| Benjamin Ramón Lanzas Selva | National Project National Project The National Project was a Nicaraguan political party founded in 1995 by Antonio Lacayo, son-in-law of Violeta Barrios de Chamorro. Lacayo was prohibited from running in the 1996 elections by the Supreme Electoral Council due to his family ties with President Chamorro. PRONAL ran instead with... (PRONAL) |
9,265 | 00.53% |
| Sergio Ramírez Mercado | Sandinista Renovation Movement Sandinista Renovation Movement The Sandinista Renovation Movement is a Nicaraguan political party founded by dissidents of the Sandinista National Liberation Front on May 18, 1995, on Augusto César Sandino's 100th anniversary... (MRS) |
7,665 | 00.44% |
| Francisco José Mayorga Balladares | Bread and Strength Alliance (Pan y Fuerza) = National Action Party National Action Party (Nicaragua) The National Action Party is a right-wing Nicaraguan political party founded by Eduardo Rivas Gasteazoro in 1985 as a split from the Social Christian Party in 1985. The PAN received legal status on appeal in 1989. PAN was part of the National Opposition Union coalition and won 3 seats in the... (PAN) / Republican Strength 96 Alliance (ASR) |
7,102 | 00.40% |
| Francisco José Duarte Tapia | National Conservative Action National Conservative Action The National Conservative Action is a right-wing conservative Nicaraguan political party founded in 1956. The ANC was part of the National Opposition Union coalition in the 1990 elections and got two representatives in the National Assembly, out of UNO's 51... (ACN) |
6,178 | 00.35% |
| Edgar Enrique Quiñónes Tuckler | Nicaraguan Resistance Party Nicaraguan Resistance Party The Nicaraguan Resistance Party is a Nicaraguan political party founded in 1993 by the Contras, the armed opposition to the Sandinista government in the 1980s.... (PRN) |
5,813 | 00.33% |
| Andrés Abelino Robles Pérez | Nicaraguan Workers, Peasants and Professionals Unity Party (PUNOCP) | 5,789 | 00.33% |
| Virgilio Abelardo Godoy Reyes | Independent Liberal Party Independent Liberal Party (Nicaragua) The Independent Liberal Party is a Nicaraguan centre-right political party separated from Somoza's Nationalist Liberal Party in 1944, and formed in 1947. PLI participated in 1984 election, winning 9.6% of vote for President with its candidate Virgilio Godoy... (PLI) |
5,692 | 00.32% |
| Jorge Alberto Díaz Cruz | National Justice Party (PJN) | 5,582 | 00.32% |
| Alejandro Serrano Caldera | Unity Alliance Unity Alliance The Unity Alliance was a Nicaraguan electoral alliance of three center left and right parties in the Nicaraguan 1996 elections. Members of the coalition were:*Social Christian Party *Social Democratic Party *Revolutionary Unity Movement... (AU) = Social Christian Party (PCS) / Revolutionary Unity Movement Revolutionary Unity Movement The Revolutionary Unity Movement is a Nicaraguan political party, founded in 1988 as a new Marxist party by defectors from the Marxist-Leninist Party of Nicaragua , Nicaraguan Communist Party , and the Sandinista National Liberation Front... (MUR) / Social Democratic Party Social Democratic Party (Nicaragua) The Social Democratic Party is a right-wing Nicaraguan political party that split from Conservatives in 1979. The party sought affiliation to the Socialist International, but its application was rejected.... (PSD) |
4,873 | 00.28% |
| Elí Altamirano Pérez | Communist Party of Nicaragua Communist Party of Nicaragua Communist Party of Nicaragua is a communist political party in Nicaragua. Founded as the Partido Obrero Socialista in 1967... (PC de N) |
4,802 | 00.27% |
| Miriam Auxiliadora Argüello Morales | Popular Conservative Alliance Popular Conservative Alliance The Popular Conservative Alliance is a right-wing conservative Nicaraguan political party. The APC split from the Democratic Conservative Party in 1984 and received legal status in 1989. As of 2006, the APC and its leader, Miriam Argüello, is in alliance with the Sandinista National Liberation... (APC) |
4,632 | 00.26% |
| Ausberto Narváez Argüello | Liberal Unity Party (PUL) | 3,887 | 00.22% |
| Alfredo César Aguirre | National Opposition Union 96 UNO-96 Alliance The UNO-96 Alliance was a Nicaraguan electoral alliance of three right-wing parties in the Nicaraguan 1996 elections. Members of the coalition were:*National Democratic Party *Conservative Action Movement *Nicaraguan Democratic Movement... (UNO 96) = National Democratic Party (PND) / Conservative Action Movement Conservative Action Movement The Conservative Action Movement is a conservative Nicaraguan political party founded in 1996. The MAC contested in the 1996 general elections as part of the UNO-96 Alliance. The party lost its legal status in 2005.... (MAC) / Nicaraguan Democratic Movement Nicaraguan Democratic Movement The Nicaraguan Democratic Movement is a right-wing Nicaraguan political party with social democratic ideology. The MDN was formed in 1978 and re-registered in 1989. MDN was the first Contra party given legal status in Nicaragua. After receiving a small amount of votes, the MDN lost its legal... (MDN) |
3,664 | 00.21% |
| Allan Antonio Tefel Alba | National Renovation Movement (MORENA) | 2,641 | 00.15% |
| James Odnith Webster Pitts | Democratic Action Party (PAD) | 1,895 | 00.11% |
| Sergio Abilio Mendieta Castillo | Central American Integrationist Party (PIAC) | 1,653 | 00.09% |
| Issa Moises Hassán Morales | Renovating Action Movement (MAR) | 1,393 | 00.08% |
| Gustavo Ernesto Tablada Zelaya | Nicaraguan Socialist Party Nicaraguan Socialist Party The Nicaraguan Socialist Party is a political party in Nicaragua. Founded in July 1944 by Dr. Mario Flores Ortiz. PSN operated as the official communist party in the country. At the time of its foundation, PSN supported the regime of Anastasio Somoza García. PSN considered that Somoza was an... (PSN) |
1,352 | 00.08% |
| Roberto Urcuyo Muñoz | Nicaraguan Democratic Party (PADENIC) | 890 | 00.05% |
| Total valid votes | 1,757,775 | 100% | |
| Spoilt and invalid votes | 91,587 | 04.95% | |
| Total votes/Turnout | 1,849,362 | 76.39% | |
| Registered voters | 2,421,067 | – | |
| Population | 4,706,000 | – | |
Legislative election
| Parties and alliances | Votes / National | % | Seats | Votes / Departmental | % | Seats | Total seats* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Alliance (AL) = Constitutionalist Liberal Party (PLC) / Independent Liberal Party for National Unity Independent Liberal Party for National Unity The Independent Liberal Party for National Unity is a Nicaraguan centre-right party that split from the Independent Liberal Party in 1984 as a consequence of PLI's decision to participate in the 1984 elections. PLIUN received legal status in 1989... (PLIUN) / Nationalist Liberal Party Nationalist Liberal Party The Nationalist Liberal Party is a centre-right political party in Nicaragua. It was established by Anastasio Somoza García in the 1930s. When it was formed, it drew its members mainly from factions within the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party.... (PLN) / Neoliberal Party (PALI) |
789,533 | 45.97% | 09 | 781,068 | 45.25% | 33 | 42 |
| Sandinista National Liberation Front Sandinista National Liberation Front The Sandinista National Liberation Front is a socialist political party in Nicaragua. Its members are called Sandinistas in both English and Spanish... (FSLN) |
626,178 | 36.46% | 08 | 629,939 | 36.50% | 27 | 36** |
| Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path The Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path is a Nicaraguan political party founded in 1996 by the Assemblies of God pastor Guillermo Osorno. CCN participated for the first time in the Nicaraguan general elections in 1996 where they got 4.10% of the votes and 4 seats in the National Assembly.In... (PCCN) |
63,867 | 03.72% | 01 | 63,986 | 03.71% | 02 | 04*** |
| National Project National Project The National Project was a Nicaraguan political party founded in 1995 by Antonio Lacayo, son-in-law of Violeta Barrios de Chamorro. Lacayo was prohibited from running in the 1996 elections by the Supreme Electoral Council due to his family ties with President Chamorro. PRONAL ran instead with... (PRONAL) |
40,656 | 02.37% | 01 | 36,417 | 02.11% | 01 | 02 |
| Conservative Party of Nicaragua Conservative Party of Nicaragua The Conservative Party is a conservative political party in Nicaragua.The party's colour is green and its emblem is a torch of freedom in a circle. Its slogan is “Dios, Orden, Justicia” , often depicted on the three sides of a triangle.-History:The conservative party is the oldest currently... (PCN) |
36,543 | 02.13% | 01 | 39,153 | 02.27% | 01 | 03**** |
| Sandinista Renovation Movement Sandinista Renovation Movement The Sandinista Renovation Movement is a Nicaraguan political party founded by dissidents of the Sandinista National Liberation Front on May 18, 1995, on Augusto César Sandino's 100th anniversary... (MRS) |
22,789 | 01.33% | 00 | 23,554 | 01.36% | 01 | 01 |
| Nicaraguan Resistance Party Nicaraguan Resistance Party The Nicaraguan Resistance Party is a Nicaraguan political party founded in 1993 by the Contras, the armed opposition to the Sandinista government in the 1980s.... (PRN) |
21,068 | 01.23% | 00 | 27,970 | 01.62% | 01 | 01 |
| Unity Alliance Unity Alliance The Unity Alliance was a Nicaraguan electoral alliance of three center left and right parties in the Nicaraguan 1996 elections. Members of the coalition were:*Social Christian Party *Social Democratic Party *Revolutionary Unity Movement... (AU) = Social Christian Party (PCS) / Revolutionary Unity Movement Revolutionary Unity Movement The Revolutionary Unity Movement is a Nicaraguan political party, founded in 1988 as a new Marxist party by defectors from the Marxist-Leninist Party of Nicaragua , Nicaraguan Communist Party , and the Sandinista National Liberation Front... (MUR) / Social Democratic Party Social Democratic Party (Nicaragua) The Social Democratic Party is a right-wing Nicaraguan political party that split from Conservatives in 1979. The party sought affiliation to the Socialist International, but its application was rejected.... (PSD) |
14,001 | 00.82% | 00 | 13,848 | 00.80% | 01 | 01 |
| Independent Liberal Party Independent Liberal Party (Nicaragua) The Independent Liberal Party is a Nicaraguan centre-right political party separated from Somoza's Nationalist Liberal Party in 1944, and formed in 1947. PLI participated in 1984 election, winning 9.6% of vote for President with its candidate Virgilio Godoy... (PLI) |
12,459 | 00.73% | 00 | 13,697 | 00.79% | 01 | 01 |
| National Opposition Union 96 UNO-96 Alliance The UNO-96 Alliance was a Nicaraguan electoral alliance of three right-wing parties in the Nicaraguan 1996 elections. Members of the coalition were:*National Democratic Party *Conservative Action Movement *Nicaraguan Democratic Movement... (UNO 96) = National Democratic Party (PND) / Conservative Action Movement Conservative Action Movement The Conservative Action Movement is a conservative Nicaraguan political party founded in 1996. The MAC contested in the 1996 general elections as part of the UNO-96 Alliance. The party lost its legal status in 2005.... (MAC) / Nicaraguan Democratic Movement Nicaraguan Democratic Movement The Nicaraguan Democratic Movement is a right-wing Nicaraguan political party with social democratic ideology. The MDN was formed in 1978 and re-registered in 1989. MDN was the first Contra party given legal status in Nicaragua. After receiving a small amount of votes, the MDN lost its legal... (MDN) |
10,706 | 00.62% | 00 | 12,720 | 00.74% | 01 | 01 |
| National Conservative Action National Conservative Action The National Conservative Action is a right-wing conservative Nicaraguan political party founded in 1956. The ANC was part of the National Opposition Union coalition in the 1990 elections and got two representatives in the National Assembly, out of UNO's 51... (ACN) |
9,811 | 00.57% | 00 | 13,011 | 00.75% | 00 | 00 |
| National Action Party National Action Party (Nicaragua) The National Action Party is a right-wing Nicaraguan political party founded by Eduardo Rivas Gasteazoro in 1985 as a split from the Social Christian Party in 1985. The PAN received legal status on appeal in 1989. PAN was part of the National Opposition Union coalition and won 3 seats in the... (PAN) |
9,724 | 00.57% | 00 | 12,016 | 00.70% | 00 | 00 |
| National Justice Party (PJN) | 8,155 | 00.47% | 00 | 8,527 | 00.49% | 00 | 00 |
| Liberal Unity Party (PUL) | 7,531 | 00.44% | 00 | 9,893 | 00.57% | 00 | 00 |
| Popular Conservative Alliance Popular Conservative Alliance The Popular Conservative Alliance is a right-wing conservative Nicaraguan political party. The APC split from the Democratic Conservative Party in 1984 and received legal status in 1989. As of 2006, the APC and its leader, Miriam Argüello, is in alliance with the Sandinista National Liberation... (APC) |
6,726 | 00.39% | 00 | 6,335 | 00.37% | 01 | 01 |
| Communist Party of Nicaragua Communist Party of Nicaragua Communist Party of Nicaragua is a communist political party in Nicaragua. Founded as the Partido Obrero Socialista in 1967... (PC de N) |
6,360 | 00.37% | 00 | 6,970 | 00.40% | 00 | 00 |
| Nicaraguan Workers, Peasants and Professionals Unity Party (PUNOCP) | 5,641 | 00.33% | 00 | 5,067 | 00.29% | 00 | 00 |
| Democratic Action Party (PAD) | 5,272 | 00.31% | 00 | 6,254 | 00.36% | 00 | 00 |
| National Renovation Movement (MORENA) | 4,988 | 00.29% | 00 | 3,788 | 00.22% | 00 | 00 |
| Nicaraguan Socialist Party Nicaraguan Socialist Party The Nicaraguan Socialist Party is a political party in Nicaragua. Founded in July 1944 by Dr. Mario Flores Ortiz. PSN operated as the official communist party in the country. At the time of its foundation, PSN supported the regime of Anastasio Somoza García. PSN considered that Somoza was an... (PSN) |
2,980 | 00.17% | 00 | 3,228 | 00.19% | 00 | 00 |
| Central American Integrationist Party (PIAC) | 2,834 | 00.17% | 00 | 2,406 | 00.14% | 00 | 00 |
| Marxist-Leninist Popular Action Movement (MAP ML) | 2,446 | 00.14% | 00 | 520 | 00.03% | 00 | 00 |
| Renovating Action Movement (MAR) | 2,418 | 00.14% | 00 | 2,992 | 00.17% | 00 | 00 |
| Nicaraguan Democratic Alliance (ADN) | 1,730 | 00.10% | 00 | 2,060 | 00.12% | 00 | 00 |
| Social Democratic Party Social Democratic Party (Nicaragua) The Social Democratic Party is a right-wing Nicaraguan political party that split from Conservatives in 1979. The party sought affiliation to the Socialist International, but its application was rejected.... (PSD) |
– | – | – | 724 | 00.04% | 00 | 00 |
| Total valid votes | 1,717,416 | 100% | 20 | 1,726,143 | 100% | 70 | 93* |
| Spoilt and invalid votes | 113,391 | 06.19% | – | 113,169 | 06.15% | – | – |
| Total votes/Turnout | 1,830,807 | 75.62% | – | 1,839,312 | 75.97% | – | – |
| Registered voters | 2,421,067 | – | – | 2,421,067 | – | – | – |
| Population | 4,706,000 | – | – | 4,706,000 | – | – | – |
- Including three seats for unsuccessful presidential candidates.
- Including José Daniel Ortega Saavedra.
- Including Guillermo Antonio Osorno Molina.
- Including Noel José Vidaurre Argüello.
- Including Guillermo Antonio Osorno Molina.
- Including José Daniel Ortega Saavedra.