Colombian Liberal Party
Encyclopedia
The Colombian Liberal Party is a center-left
party in Colombia
that adheres to social democracy
and social liberalism
.
The Party was founded in 1848 and, together with the Colombian Conservative Party
, subsequently became one of the two main political forces in the country for over a century.
After the period known as La Violencia
the Liberals and the Conservative Party reached an agreement to share power from 1958 to 1974 in the so-called National Front
agreement that followed the fall of General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
. Nowadays there are many critics of the 16 year agreement but it has to be admitted that it greatly reduced the intensity of the violent political warfare that preceded it.
In the year 2002, the Liberal Party was the largest single party in the Colombian Congress, with 54 out of 166 deputies, and 28 of 102 senators. In the election of 2006
, the party won 38 out of 166 Deputies and 18 out of 102 senators.
With the election of independent President of Colombia, Álvaro Uribe Vélez
as president the Liberal party reached its greatest crisis ever. Alvaro Uribe is indeed a former member of the party, having crafted all of his political career prior to his election (where he ran as an independent Liberal) inside it, and has the strong backing of a substantial majority of the former Liberal elected congressmen (classified as "Uribist" Liberals by the media).
The party's crisis has many reasons different from President Uribe's election and subsequent re-election, but the evident divide among the leadership has greatly diminished the support to the Colombian party, which was previously the most popular in the country. Most of the current "Officialist" (as named by the Colombian press) leadership of the Liberal Party is openly opposed to Uribe's government and his policies. In an effort to maintain some unity the party's selected in June 2005 former president César Gaviria Trujillo as their current chief.
These two factions, according to some observers, may be considered as a renewal of the old "split" between "neoliberal" and more "social" minded Liberal politicians, though the formula is not without its exceptions. This said it must be mentioned that both factions have not escaped corruption scandal in recent years.
During the presidential elections of 28 May 2006, the official liberal candidate Horacio Serpa Uribe won 11.84 % of the popular vote, placing him third.
During the parliamentary elections of 14 March 2010, the Liberal Party obtained 18 senators and 35 representatives.
The Liberal Party is a member of Socialist International
.
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
party in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
that adheres to social democracy
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
and social liberalism
Social liberalism
Social liberalism is the belief that liberalism should include social justice. It differs from classical liberalism in that it believes the legitimate role of the state includes addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, health care, and education while simultaneously expanding...
.
The Party was founded in 1848 and, together with the Colombian Conservative Party
Colombian Conservative Party
The Colombian Conservative Party , is a conservative political party in Colombia. The party was unofficially founded by a group of Revolutionary Commoners during the Revolutionary War for Independence from the Spanish Monarchy and later formally established during the Greater Colombia...
, subsequently became one of the two main political forces in the country for over a century.
After the period known as La Violencia
La Violencia
La Violencia is a period of civil conflict in the Colombian countryside between supporters of the Colombian Liberal Party and the Colombian Conservative Party, a conflict which took place roughly from 1948 to 1958 ....
the Liberals and the Conservative Party reached an agreement to share power from 1958 to 1974 in the so-called National Front
National Front (Colombia)
National Front was a period in the history of Colombia in which the two main political parties; Liberal Party and Conservative Party agreed to let the opposite party govern, intercalating for a period of four presidential terms....
agreement that followed the fall of General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla was a Colombian politician, military officer, General of the Army and President of Colombia between 1953 and 1957.- Biographic data :...
. Nowadays there are many critics of the 16 year agreement but it has to be admitted that it greatly reduced the intensity of the violent political warfare that preceded it.
In the year 2002, the Liberal Party was the largest single party in the Colombian Congress, with 54 out of 166 deputies, and 28 of 102 senators. In the election of 2006
Colombian legislative election, 2006
On March 12, 2006 Colombians went to the polls to elect Senate and Chamber of Representatives. Presidential primaries were also held for the Liberal Party and the Alternative Democratic Pole.-Senate Members:...
, the party won 38 out of 166 Deputies and 18 out of 102 senators.
With the election of independent President of Colombia, Álvaro Uribe Vélez
Álvaro Uribe
Alvaro Uribe Vélez was the 58th President of Colombia, from 2002 to 2010. In August 2010 he was appointed Vice-chairman of the UN panel investigating the Gaza flotilla raid....
as president the Liberal party reached its greatest crisis ever. Alvaro Uribe is indeed a former member of the party, having crafted all of his political career prior to his election (where he ran as an independent Liberal) inside it, and has the strong backing of a substantial majority of the former Liberal elected congressmen (classified as "Uribist" Liberals by the media).
The party's crisis has many reasons different from President Uribe's election and subsequent re-election, but the evident divide among the leadership has greatly diminished the support to the Colombian party, which was previously the most popular in the country. Most of the current "Officialist" (as named by the Colombian press) leadership of the Liberal Party is openly opposed to Uribe's government and his policies. In an effort to maintain some unity the party's selected in June 2005 former president César Gaviria Trujillo as their current chief.
These two factions, according to some observers, may be considered as a renewal of the old "split" between "neoliberal" and more "social" minded Liberal politicians, though the formula is not without its exceptions. This said it must be mentioned that both factions have not escaped corruption scandal in recent years.
During the presidential elections of 28 May 2006, the official liberal candidate Horacio Serpa Uribe won 11.84 % of the popular vote, placing him third.
During the parliamentary elections of 14 March 2010, the Liberal Party obtained 18 senators and 35 representatives.
The Liberal Party is a member of Socialist International
Socialist International
The Socialist International is a worldwide organization of democratic socialist, social democratic and labour political parties. It was formed in 1951.- History :...
.
See also
- Contributions to liberal theoryContributions to liberal theoryIndividual contributors to classical liberalism and political liberalism are associated with philosophers of the Enlightenment. Liberalism as a specifically named ideology begins in the late 18th century as a movement towards self-government and away from aristocracy...
- Liberal democracyLiberal democracyLiberal democracy, also known as constitutional democracy, is a common form of representative democracy. According to the principles of liberal democracy, elections should be free and fair, and the political process should be competitive...
- LiberalismLiberalismLiberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
- Liberalism in ColombiaLiberalism in ColombiaThis article gives an overview of liberalism in Colombia. It is limited to liberal parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ means a reference to another party in that scheme...
- Liberalism worldwideLiberalism worldwideThis article gives information on liberalism in diverse countries around the world. It is an overview of parties that adhere more or less to the ideas of political liberalism and is therefore a list of liberal parties around the world....
- List of liberal parties
- Social democracySocial democracySocial democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
- Social liberalismSocial liberalismSocial liberalism is the belief that liberalism should include social justice. It differs from classical liberalism in that it believes the legitimate role of the state includes addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, health care, and education while simultaneously expanding...
External links
- Official web site
- Democracia a distancia: Elecciones 2006 (Portalcol.com) (Information about the party's list of candidates to the Colombian Senate, Spanish).