The new leadership of the Legislative Assembly will be headed by a last-minute surprise candidate, Jorge Herrera, who defeated the favorite backed by José Raúl Mulino and Ricardo Martinelli and the PRD party.

PANAMA - In Brief 01 Jul 2025 by Marco Fernandez

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Context ahead of a key session in the Assembly Every year, on July 1st, the Legislative Assembly elects its presidents and vice presidents for a one-year term. The person who presides over the Assembly signs the laws issued by the State’s bodies, authorizes the legislature’s expenses (an important discretionary power), and appoints the administrative staff of this body. In terms of public policy, the person who presides over it manages the legislative agenda and therefore sets the priorities for discussions. Before reaching the Assembly floor, proposals from the Executive must be approved by the respective committees. The composition of these committees is key to shaping the direction of new laws, although the floor can amend what was approved during the so-called first debate. The most important committees in economic matters are Budget, Credentials, and Commerce. In the coming days, we will know the names of the members of these and get an early sense of the legislative balance for the coming year. Election results and their implications: On Monday night, a group of legislators who consider themselves opposition to Mulino´s government decided to support the Panameñista Party legislator Jorge Herrera in Tuesday’s vote. Herrera, a lawyer, initially had the votes of most legislators not affiliated with Realizando Metas (Ricardo Martinelli’s party) or the PRD (which governed during the previous presidential term and is the main opponent of the pension reform). Herrera has been active in regional politics as mayor of the city of Aguadulce and is currently a legislator for the Province of Coclé, an agricultural production area in the center of the country. He was part of t...