Ecuador · Government
Government and administration in Ecuador
How the executive, legislature and administrative state are organised, and which body is responsible for what.
The three branches
- Executive — President
- Four-year term; the muerte cruzada allows mutual dissolution with the Assembly, used in 2023.
- Legislative — National Assembly
- Unicameral, 137 members.
- Judicial — Judiciary and Consejo de la Judicatura
- The Council governs and disciplines the judiciary.
- Transparency and electoral — CPCCS, Consejo Nacional Electoral, TCE
- The fourth and fifth branches for participation and elections.
How legislation is made
Bills go to the Assembly from members, the President, the Court, citizens or autonomous governments, and need two debates. The President may fully or partially object; a full objection can only be overcome after a year or by a two-thirds vote. Urgent economic bills become law by decree if the Assembly fails to act in thirty days. Amendment routes differ by depth, from Assembly vote to constituent assembly.
Enforcement institutions
- Fiscalía General del Estado
- Directs criminal investigation, autonomous within the judicial function.
- Policía Nacional del Ecuador
- National force; militarised support has been authorised under recent states of exception.
- Defensoría del Pueblo
- Ombudsman with standing in constitutional guarantees.
Government bodies and regulators
- judicialCorte Constitucional del EcuadorHighest body of constitutional interpretation and justice.
- judicialConsejo de la JudicaturaGoverns, administers and disciplines the judiciary.
- judicialFiscalía General del EstadoDirects pre-trial investigation and prosecutes offences.
- executiveServicio de Rentas InternasAdministers internal taxes.
- executiveMinisterio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad HumanaAdministers visas, residence and human mobility policy.
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