Elections to renew the parliament of Venezuela, the country's only opposition-controlled institution, will take place next December, the National Electoral Council (CNE) announced on Tuesday. CNE President Indira Alfonzo announced that the legislative elections will take place on Venezuelan state television in December, but did not specify the exact date.
She indicated that "Special standards" newly adopted would govern this consultation and that the number of seats in the National Assembly, the unicameral chamber of Venezuela, would drop from 167 to 277.
The main opposition parties have already announced that they will boycott the poll, described as " prank call ", in reaction to the appointment in June by the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) of new members at the head of the National Electoral Council, responsible for overseeing the elections.
A power with two heads
Accused by the opposition of being partial to the benefit of the Chavist power, the TSJ had appointed CNE Indira Alfonzo, a Canadian-sanctioned magistrate, to head the CNE. In so doing, he had assumed the prerogative of the National Assembly. Since 2016, the TSJ has not recognized the decisions taken by the Parliament.
Opposition leader Juan Guaido, brandishing his presidency of the National Assembly, proclaimed himself acting president of Venezuela on January 23, 2019. It is recognized as such by around fifty countries, including the United States.
Some 86 parties will take part in the election despite the boycott of the opposition, said Indira Alfonzo. Most of these parties are small groups. Parliament accused the government of socialist Nicolas Maduro of organizing elections without "Minimum transparency conditions".
With the withdrawal of the main opposition parties, power is free to recover the majority in Parliament, lost in December 2015 when the opposition won 112 of 167 seats.
