Table 3.6

Summary of Some Measures of Legislature Capabilities

Country Confidence in Congress, Average 1996-2004a Effectiveness of Law-Making Bodiesb Average Experience of Legislators (Years) Percentage of Legislators with University Educationc Average Number of Committee Memberships per Legislator Strength of Committees Place to build career Technical expertise Congress Capability Index
Argentina
20.5
1.6
2.9
69.6
4.50
Medium
Low
Low
Low
Bolivia
19.9
1.8
3.3
78.4
1.66
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
Brazil
24.9
3.1
5.5
54.0
0.92
Medium
High
High
High
Chile
36.0
3.7
8.0
79.4
1.95
High
High
High
High
Colombia
20.3
2.7
4.0
91.6
0.86
High
High
Medium
High
Costa Rica
29.9
2.2
2.6
80.4
2.09
High
Medium
Low
Medium
Dominican Republic
n.a.
2.0
3.1
49.6
3.54
Low
High
Low
Low
Ecuador
13.3
1.7
3.5
83.1
1.26
High
Medium
Low
Medium
El Salvador
27.7
2.1
3.9
64.0
2.44
Medium
High
Low
Medium
Guatemala
19.9
1.8
3.2
68.4
3.24
Low
Medium
Low
Low
Honduras
30.8
2.6
3.0
73.1
2.34
Low
Low
Low
Low
Mexico
27.4
2.0
1.9
89.5
2.43
High
Medium
Medium
Medium
Nicaragua
23.1
1.6
3.5
85.6
1.96
Low
Medium
Medium
Medium
Panama
22.5
1.8
5.8
81.3
1.86
Medium
High
Low
Medium
Paraguay
25.0
2.2
5.5
75.4
3.15
Low
High
Low
Medium
Peru
22.1
1.7
5.2
92.9
2.44
Low
Low
Low
Low
Uruguay
38.2
2.7
8.8
68.4
0.98
High
High
Low
High
Venezuela
27.8
1.4
4.9
74.6
0.97
Medium
Medium
Low
Medium


a Latinobarometer (1996-2004).
b World Economic Forum (2004-2005).
c PELA (2002).

n.a. Not applicable. As the Dominican Republic was included only in the 2004 survey, no average is shown.

Sources: Latinobarometer (1996-2004); World Economic Forum (2005); PELA (various years); Saiegh (2005).