Legislative Transfugeeism in Guatemala and Panama

Abstract

Votes determine seats distribution in Legislative Congress across Central Ameri-ca but, once in office, legislators decide not to join their parliamentary bloc and join another one. This phenomenon of party-switching is so-called “transfuguis-mo”. This study seeks to explore the Guatemala (2012-2016) and Panama (2009-2014) cases from two perspectives: 1) the legislative party-switch and; 2) the formal rules that pretend counter such process, since “transfuguismo” produces a changing correlation of forces inside the Legislative Branch that could benefit the party in office or the opposition bloc. The main argument is that this behavior of legislators generates inter-party breakdown and institutional weakness, which alters the democratic rules.