At the beginning of this month, in the city of Cochabamba,within our Eu-funded project in Bolivia – PRO-ELECTION Bolivia the Plurinational Electoral Body (OEP), in coordination with us at the European Centre for Electoral Support, launched the Open Electoral Reform process at a meeting attended by the entire Plenary Chamber of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) and members of the nine Departmental Electoral Tribunals (TEDs).
The meeting provided an institutional space for dialogue and exchange among electoral authorities from both the national and departmental levels, drawing on their practical experiences and lessons learned from the 2025–2026 electoral cycle. As the initial stage of a broader participatory process, the activity sought to establish common ground, gather institutional perspectives and identify priority areas for further discussion on possible improvements to Bolivia’s electoral regulatory and institutional framework.
The objective was to promote consensus-building through participatory dialogue and lay the foundations for the Open Electoral Reform process. Representatives from the TEDs shared observations and proposals based on their experiences in administering the electoral process, contributing perspectives from across the country and highlighting challenges and areas for potential improvement.
The President of the TSE, Gustavo Ávila, explained the importance of updating electoral regulations, highlighting the value of a participatory process that includes a plurality of actors. Our Project Coordinator in Bolivia, Luis Castellar, presented the planned timeline for developing the initiative. Our experts also provided technical inputs to support the discussions: Senior Electoral Expert, Carolina Floru, presented a systematisation of recommendations from electoral observation missions conducted during the 2025–2026 electoral cycle, while Senior Project Officer Rafael Loayza presented the methodology and proposed process for developing the reform.
These contributions provided a basis for participants to reflect on recommendations emerging from electoral observation, exchange institutional experiences and begin identifying issues requiring further technical and institutional consideration. The approach is intended to support an open process in which priorities and proposals are progressively developed through dialogue and consultation, rather than through a predetermined reform proposal.
The meeting aimed to gather lessons learned and create spaces for dialogue among the different electoral authorities to identify areas of convergence and build common ground for the subsequent stages of the reform process. Members of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) and the Departmental Electoral Tribunals (TEDs) who participated in the event expressed gratitude for our coordination and support in holding the event in Cochabamba. They emphasised the importance of promoting these spaces for dialogue, as they contribute to an electoral reform enriched by diverse perspectives and needs.
The launch therefore marked a first step in a wider process of consultation and dialogue aimed at gathering different proposals, identifying priorities and progressively building consensus around possible improvements to the Bolivian electoral system.
16 September 2026
