Bolivia votes as support for left wanes and inflation is top of mind

17/8/2025 17:02

Voters in Bolivia are gearing up for a general election on Sunday that has been overshadowed by inflation at a four-decade high and the absence of former leftist President Evo Morales, who is barred from running.



Leading the race are opposition conservative contenders Samuel Doria Medina, a business magnate, and Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga, a former president, but neither commands more than 30% support, opinion polls show, with around a quarter of Bolivians undecided.



The August race marks the first time in almost two decades that polling indicates Bolivia's incumbent Movement for Socialism, or MAS, could face defeat. Support for MAS-affiliated and other left-leaning candidates trails the opposition, totaling around 10%, according to the latest August Ipsos CEISMORI survey.

If no presidential candidate wins more than 40% support with a 10 percentage point lead, the election will head to a runoff on October 19.



Morales, who co-founded MAS and governed the country from 2006 to 2019 under its banner, has been barred from running for another term as president.