Guyana

The right to form political parties and their freedom of action are guaranteed. … (Art. 10)

The principal objective of the political system of the State is to establish an inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for the participation of citizens, and their organisations in the management and decision-making processes of the State, with particular emphasis on those areas of decision-making that directly affect their well-being. (Art. 13)

Women’s participation in the various management and decision-making processes, whether private, public or state, shall be encouraged and facilitated by laws enacted for that purpose or otherwise. (Art. 29)

Subject to the provisions of article 159, every person may vote at an election if he is of the age of eighteen years or upwards and is either a citizen of Guyana or a Commonwealth citizen domiciled and resident in Guyana. (Art. 59)

(1) Except to his or her own consent, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his or her freedom of assembly, association and freedom to demonstrate peacefully, that to say, his or her right to assemble freely, to demonstrate peacefully and to associate with other persons and in particular to form or belong to political parties, trade unions or other associations for the protection of his or her interests.
… (Art. 147)

(1) Every woman is entitled to equal rights and status with men in all spheres of political, economic and social life. All forms of discrimination against women on the basis of gender or sex are illegal.
(2) Every woman is entitled to equal access with men to academic, vocational and professional training, equal opportunities in employment, remuneration and promotion and in social, political and cultural activity. (Art. 149F)

The right to form political parties and their freedom of action are guaranteed. Political parties must respect the principles of national sovereignty and of democracy. (Art. 10)

…
(3) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, Parliament may make provision -
…
(b) …
(iii) for the minimum number or proportion of female candidates on a party’s list and in all party’s lists taken together;
(iv) for the minimum number or proportion of female candidates on a party’s lists for geographical constituencies taken individually or together;
(v) for the maximum percentage or the number of geographical constituencies a party can contest in which its lists contain no female candidate.
… (Art. 160)

(1) All persons, institutions and political parties are prohibited from taking any action or advancing, disseminating or communicating any idea which may result in racial or ethnic division among the people.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), Parliament shall by law make provision for offences and penalties, including penalties preventing or disbarring any person or political party from contesting any election for membership or being a member, as the case may be, of the local democratic organs or of the National Assembly. (Art. 160A)

Elections shall be independently supervised by the Election Commission in accordance with the provisions of article 162. (Art. 62)

(1) The Elections Commission shall have such functions connected with or relating to the registration of electors or the conduct of elections as are conferred upon it by or under this Constitution or, subject thereto, any Act of Parliament; and, subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the Commission -
(a) shall exercise general direction and supervision over the registration of electors and the administrative conduct of all elections of members of the National Assembly; and
(b) shall issue such instructions and take such action as appear to it necessary or expedient to ensure impartiality, fairness and compliance with the provisions of this Constitution or of any Act of Parliament on the part of persons exercising powers or performing duties connected with or relating to the matters aforesaid.
… (Art. 162)

There shall be a President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, who shall be Head of State, the supreme executive authority, and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the Republic. (Art. 89)

(1) A person shall be qualified for election as President and shall not be so qualified unless he or she -
(a) is a citizen of Guyana and is Guyanese by birth or parentage as defined in articles 43 and 44;
(b) is residing in Guyana on the date of nomination for election and was continuously residing therein for a period of seven years immediately before that date; and
(c) is otherwise qualified to be elected as a member of the National Assembly.
… (Art. 90)

(1) The executive authority of Guyana shall be vested in the President and, subject to the provisions of this Constitution, may be exercised by him or her either directly or through officers subordinate to him or her.
… (Art. 99)

(1) Any list of candidates for an election held pursuant to the provisions of article 60 (2) shall designate not more than one of those candidates as a Presidential candidate. An elector voting at such an election in favour of a list shall be deemed to be also voting in favour of the Presidential candidate named in the list.
(2) Where -
(a) there is only one Presidential candidate at the election; or
(b) there are two or more Presidential candidates, if more votes are cast in favour of the list in which a person is designated as Presidential candidate than in favour of any other list,
that Presidential candidate shall be deemed to be elected as President and shall be so declared by the Chairman of the Elections Commission acting only in accordance with the advice of the Chief Election Officer, after such advice has been tendered to the Elections Commission at a duly summoned meeting.
… (Art. 177)

Subject to the provisions of article 185, there shall be an office of Prime Minister and such offices of Vice-President and other offices of Minister of the Government of Guyana as may be established by Parliament or, subject to the provisions of any Act of Parliament, by the President. (Art. 100)

(1) The President may appoint Vice-Presidents for the purpose of assisting him or her in the discharge of his functions.
(2) If he or she is not otherwise the holder of an office of Vice-President, the person holding the office of Prime Minister shall, by virtue of holding that office, be a Vice-President, and he or she shall have precedence over any other Vice-President. (Art. 102)

Subject to the provisions of article 185, there shall be an office of Prime Minister and such offices of Vice-President and other offices of Minister of the Government of Guyana as may be established by Parliament or, subject to the provisions of any Act of Parliament, by the President. (Art. 100)

(1) The President shall appoint an elected member of the National Assembly to be Prime Minister of Guyana:
Provided that a person who is not eligible to be elected as President shall not be eligible for appointment as Prime Minister.
(2) The Prime Minister shall be the principal assistant of the President in the discharge of his or her executive functions and leader of Government business in the National Assembly. (Art. 101)

(1) The Prime Minister and every other Vice-President shall be a Minister of the Government of Guyana.
(2) Subject to the provisions of article 101(1), Vice-Presidents and other Ministers shall be appointed by the President from among persons who are elected members of the National Assembly or subject to subparagraph (vii) of paragraph (3)(a) of article 160 are qualified to be elected as such members.
(3) Not more than four Ministers and two Parliamentary Secretaries shall be appointed by the President from among persons who are qualified to be elected as members of the National Assembly. (Art. 103)

(1) There shall be a Cabinet for Guyana, which shall consist of the President, the Prime Minister, the Vice-Presidents, and such other Ministers as may be appointed to it by the President.
(2) The Cabinet shall aid and advise the President in the general direction and control of the Government of Guyana and shall be collectively responsible therefor to Parliament.
… (Art. 106)

There shall be a Parliament of Guyana, which shall consist of the President and the National Assembly. (Art. 51)

(1) Subject to paragraph (2) and to articles 105, 185 and 186, the National Assembly shall consist of such number of members as shall be determined by the Assembly who shall be elected in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution and, subject thereto, in accordance with any law made by Parliament in that behalf.
… (Art. 52)

Subject to article 155 (which relates to allegiance, insanity, and other matters) a person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly if, and shall not be so qualified unless, he or she -
(a) is a citizen of Guyana of the age of eighteen years or upwards; and
(b) is able to speak and, unless incapacitated by blindness or other physical cause, to read the English language with a degree of proficiency sufficient to enable him to take an active part in the proceedings of the Assembly. (Art. 53)

(1) Election of members of the National Assembly shall be by secret ballot.
(2) Subject to the provisions of article 160(2), such number of members of the National Assembly as determined by the Assembly, shall be elected in accordance with the system of proportional representation prescribed by article 160(1). (Art. 60)

…
(3) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, Parliament may make provision -
(a) …
(v) for the extraction from the lists and declaration of names of the candidates who have been elected, and for such provision for extraction to take into account the proportion that women form of the electorate;
…
(b) …
(iii) for the minimum number or proportion of female candidates on a party’s list and in all party’s lists taken together;
(iv) for the minimum number or proportion of female candidates on a party’s lists for geographical constituencies taken individually or together;
(v) for the maximum percentage or the number of geographical constituencies a party can contest in which its lists contain no female candidate.
… (Art. 160)