Traditional Political Parties - The Liberal Party and The Conservative Party. Are we witnessing the death of Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos’ political party – El Partido de la U? Recent changes allow for more parties, and several have emerged, but the Conservative and Liberal parties control a majority of elected offices.The Liberal Party (Partido Liberal—PL) continues to support religious toleration and a positive response to the social and economic demands of the masses. The Schools welcomed civil society organizations and (aspiring) politicians from all parties in those regions most affected by the conflict. The People's Liberation Army (EPL) began to demobilize in 1993, but a dissident faction refused orders to lay down arms, and returned to the field.
There is also a need for action to combat the exclusion of women, young people, indigenous groups, afro Colombians, and rural communities from political life.Find out more about the Democratic Action for Peace programme in the below video (in Spanish):After decades of violence and nearly four years of talks, the National Government of Colombia and the militant FARC-EP (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) signed a Peace Agreement in 2016. Ivan Duque, who won the election with 11 million votes, ran a campaign opposing the Peace Agreement. It is President Santos, however, who is the reunification king-maker. Although those at the top of the U Party appeared to accuse Benedetti of treachery, the seeds were sown and those U members formerly of the Liberals started to inch closer to their old home.When Uribe handed over to SantosUribe’s next move is to start to lobby to steel away from Santos’ coalition those Congressman still loyal to the ex-president. This is set to continue in 2019 as part of our work to build trust in democratic institutions and, in turn, contribute to a more stable peace and egalitarian opportunities for women in politics.Also, in 2019 NIMD will provide Training Schools for the Political Empowerment of Women, which serve to strengthen the knowledge and skills of female activists and MPs. Santos did little to calm talk of his potential return. It used to represent 94% of congress (from 2010-2014), but following rise of Alvaro Uribe’s Centro Democratico party, it has shrunk back, and there is now real and organised opposition to the Santos regime – in congress at least.Reading more on this site will give you a true flavour of the often bizarre party dynamic in Colombia.Harvard academic James Robinson has called Colombia’s party system a “cartel” – highlighting how the Liberals and the Conservatives worked to prevent the arrival of any other political force, exclusively holding on to power (regardless of ideology).Get Colombia Politics direct to your inbox, freeAnother party outside of the coalition is the Polo Democratico (the ‘socialist party’). On the second day of the meeting, the gathered masses elected Simon Gaviria, president of the Camera of Representatives, the youngest leader in the party’s history. Indeed to support his re-election in 2006, a coalition of Uribistas coalesced to become the party of the ‘U’, officially established by current president, Juan Manuel Santos (elected in 2010). In general Liberals have been more successful in elections than the Conservatives, having won all but one post-National Front presidential elections, and controlling a majority of seats in both houses.
Nothing is impossible in Colombia, though – the last president changed the constitution to allow him to run again…Get Colombia Politics direct to your inbox, freeThe parliamentarians’ resentment arises from the feeling that Santos pushed much of the blame onto them instead of accepting the government’s role in the fiasco – after all the government proposed the legislation, they argue.