Deputies from the Migration and Development Affairs and Electoral Affairs Committees of the Chamber of Deputies will hold a technical meeting on Monday, August 10, with officials from the Superior Court of Electoral Justice (TSJE). The meeting will take place in the Chamber of Deputies' plenary hall and aims to analyze the scope and challenges of Law No. 7443/2024, which establishes automatic registration in the Permanent Civic Registry (RCP).
The legislation, which recently came into effect, seeks to guarantee the full exercise of the right to vote by automatically registering all Paraguayan citizens in the RCP when they turn 18, both residents in the country and those living abroad. The measure aims to significantly expand electoral participation, especially among the Paraguayan diaspora.
In addition to the TSJE and the lawmakers, the meeting will include representatives from several key institutions for the law's implementation. Present will be the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Directorate of Migration, the National Police Identification Department, the General Directorate of Civil Registry, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies, the Secretariat for Development for Repatriated and Refugee Compatriots, the Paraguayan Migration Coordination, and the Migrant Women's Network, among other agencies.
Current data shows the magnitude of the challenge. According to official records, between 2011 and 2025, only slightly more than 57,000 Paraguayans residing abroad were registered in the RCP. This number represents just 3.8% of the approximately 1.5 million compatriots living outside the country, highlighting the need to expedite and modernize the registration process.
During the work session, an evaluation will be made of the progress and interinstitutional actions necessary to guarantee the effective electoral participation of Paraguayans abroad. The technical discussion is considered a crucial step to operationalize the new law and overcome the barriers that have historically limited this segment of the population's access to voting.