LatinNews Daily Report - 02 July 2012

Ruling party retains congress. On 1 July Deputy Sergio Gálvez of the ruling Cambio Democrático (CD), was elected president of Panama’s 71-member unicameral national assembly for 2012-2013 with 42 votes. The CD has 36 seats in the congress while its ally Molirena has four. The main opposition groups, Partido Revolucionario Democrático and Partido Panameñista, have 17 and 12 seats respectively