Plurinational Legislative Assembly, National bicameral legislature in La Paz, Bolivia.
The Plurinational Legislative Assembly is the national bicameral legislature in La Paz, Bolivia, meeting in a tall building on Plaza Murillo. The institution consists of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, both housed in the same complex and representing the country's different regions and communities.
Parliament began as a single-chamber system following independence in 1825 and shifted to two separate chambers a few years later. The name changed in 2009 to reflect the diversity of Bolivian peoples in the structure of government.
The assembly carries its plurinational name since the 2009 constitution, which acknowledges Bolivia's character as a multiethnic state. Parliamentary sessions today may be held in several languages, with Spanish, Aymara and Quechua equally recognized for use.
Visitors can access public galleries on certain days to watch debates from above, though prior permission may sometimes be required. The building stands centrally on Plaza Murillo, near other government buildings in the historic center of the city.
The current legislative tower was built after a fire in the old congress building in 2012 destroyed important documents and rooms. Since the most recent elections, over half of the elected representatives are women, a rare development in the region.
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