What Is Happening
Political organizing for Panama’s 2029 general elections is already underway, with several new groups beginning the long process of collecting signatures to win legal recognition as parties. The effort is being shaped by the country’s electoral rules, which require emerging organizations to build a nationwide base before they can compete on equal footing with the established parties.
Among the groups already gathering adherents are Partido Nacional Humanitario and Acción Ciudadana Independiente, both officially in formation before the Tribunal Electoral. The movement Radix has also entered the race, building on its 2024 participation through free candidacies and a platform associated with pro-family and pro-life causes. A new political organization with former president Martín Torrijos as its public face is also being launched, adding another potential contender to the field.
The Signature Threshold
After the 2024 general elections, the Tribunal Electoral set the minimum at 45,503 signatures for recognition of a new political party. That figure equals 2% of the 2,275,179 valid votes cast in the last presidential election, in line with the Electoral Code. The threshold is higher than before the 2024 vote, when 39,296 signatures were enough.
The increase matters because it raises the bar for new political projects at a time when the traditional party system is still adjusting to the rise of new actors. In the previous five-year cycle, four groups managed to complete the process and become legal parties: Partido Alianza, Realizando Metas, Partido Alternativa Independiente Social and Movimiento Otro Camino.
For voters, that means the next few years will be defined not only by campaigns and alliances, but also by whether these new organizations can survive the legal and logistical pressure of signature collection across the country.
How The New Groups Are Advancing
Partido Nacional Humanitario was admitted by the Tribunal Electoral in April 2024. It is led by Juana María Archibold, with Luis Aníbal Guillén as first vice president and Manuel de Jesús Quiñones Palma as secretary general. Its signature drive began in March 2025 with an initial 500 signatures.
Acción Ciudadana Independiente was admitted in January 2025 and formally began collecting adherents in May 2025. The group is chaired by Carlos Felipe Escobar. Radix started gathering signatures in March 2026, giving it a more recent start in the race to reach the legal threshold.
By May 15, 2026, the three groups in formation had collected 5,663 signatures in total: 2,894 for Acción Ciudadana Independiente, 2,393 for Partido Nacional Humanitario and 376 for Radix. That is still far from the required 45,503, underscoring how difficult it is for new forces to turn early momentum into formal status.
Why Martín Torrijos And Vamos Matter
The launch of a new political organization linked to Martín Torrijos gives the process added weight. Torrijos, who governed Panama from 2004 to 2009, returned to the presidential race in 2024 after distancing himself from the PRD and running under the Partido Popular banner. He finished third, but remains a recognizable national figure with political experience and name recognition.
Another key player is the independent coalition Vamos, which is weighing whether to become a party. Its president, Juan Diego Vásquez, has left open that possibility amid proposed electoral reforms that could change how deputies are elected in multimember circuits. Those reforms would alter the rules for independent candidates and may push the coalition to formalize its structure if it wants to remain competitive.
Vamos made a major breakthrough in 2024 by winning 19 seats in the National Assembly, along with mayoralties and corregimiento posts. That performance showed the strength of the coalition’s message and organization, but the next electoral cycle could present a different challenge if voting rules reduce the advantages of independent slates.
What To Watch Next
The broader significance is clear: Panama’s 2029 race is starting well before the campaign season, and the battle for signatures is already a test of political durability. Groups with national reach, discipline and funding will be better positioned to survive the registration process. Those that cannot build momentum early may fade before they ever appear on a ballot.
For now, nine parties are already legally constituted in Panama: PRD, Realizando Metas, Cambio Democrático, Partido Panameñista, Molirena, Frente Amplio por la Democracia, Movimiento Otro Camino, Partido Alianza and Partido Popular. Any new entrant will have to prove it can break into that crowded field before the 2029 election cycle fully takes shape.