Liberalism in Colombia
Encyclopedia
This 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. For inclusion in this scheme it is not necessary for the parties to have labeled themselves as a liberal party.
, despite historically being considered a party relatively left of center and somewhat prone to populism
, according to some critics.
Its traditional position can be considered to be somewhere in the middle between liberalism and social democracy
. Several current leaders of the party in the late 20th and early 21st centuries claim to be seeking to move the party closer to the social democratic left.
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...
. It is limited to liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism 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,...
parties
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ means a reference to another party in that scheme. For inclusion in this scheme it is not necessary for the parties to have labeled themselves as a liberal party.
Introduction
Liberalism in Colombia is organized as the opposition to conservatism. The Colombian Liberal Party, founded in 1849, still exists as a dominant party, usually achieving the largest voter turnouts and electoral victories in congress and regional elections. It has also been a strong contender in recent presidential elections. It joined the Socialist InternationalSocialist International
The Socialist International is a worldwide organization of democratic socialist, social democratic and labour political parties. It was formed in 1951.- History :...
, despite historically being considered a party relatively left of center and somewhat prone to populism
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
, according to some critics.
Its traditional position can be considered to be somewhere in the middle between liberalism and 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...
. Several current leaders of the party in the late 20th and early 21st centuries claim to be seeking to move the party closer to the social democratic left.
Colombian Liberal Party
- 1849: The Colombian Liberal PartyColombian Liberal PartyThe 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...
(Partido Liberal Colombiano) is founded - 1960: Dissident liberals formed the ⇒ Revolutionary Liberal Movement
- 1967/1968: Most of the movement returned to the party
- 1979: Dissident liberals formed ⇒ New Liberalism. Nuevo liberalismo
- 1981: Dissident liberals formed ⇒ People's Power.
Liberal Revolutionary Movement
- 1960: A dissident faction of the ⇒ Colombian Liberal Party formed the Liberal Revolutionary Movement (Movimiento Revolucionario Liberal) (MRL)
- 1967: Most of the party returned to the ⇒ Colombian Liberal Party
- 1968: The party disappeared.
People's Power
- 1981: A dissident faction of the ⇒ Colombian Liberal Party formed People's PowerPeople's Power (Colombia)People's Power was a political movement in Colombia. Founded in 1981 by Ernesto Samper Pizano . PP evolved out of the Liberal Party of Colombia. Former president of Colombia, Álvaro Uribe, was a member of PP. PP had a youth organization called Juventud del Poder Popular...
(Poder Popular). - 1990s: The party returns to the ⇒ Colombian Liberal Party.
New Liberalism
- 1979: A dissident faction of the ⇒ Colombian Liberal Party formed New LiberalismNew Liberalism (Colombia)Colombian politician Luis Carlos Galán founded the Nuevo Liberalismo in 1979, as a dissident force of the Colombian Liberal Party.Running against both the conservatives and the mainstream party, Galán lost the elections in 1982...
(Nuevo Liberalismo). - 1987: Most of the party and its leaders returned to the ⇒ Colombian Liberal Party.
- 1989: Luis Carlos GalánLuis Carlos GalánLuis Carlos Galán Sarmiento was a Colombian journalist and liberal politician who ran for the presidency of Colombia on two occasions, the first time representing the Liberal Party in 1982 which he lost to Belisario Betancur...
assassinated. - 1990s: The party disappeared.
Uribism
- 1990s: Many small liberal regional movements are formed as dissidents factions of the main Liberal Party (Independent Civic Movement, LIDER Movement, New Colombia Movement, Liberal Oxigen Movement, Civic Popular Convergence, Let's Go Colombia, 98 Movement, Colombia My Country, Democratic Reconstruction Movement, Colombian Popular Party, Citizen's Movement)
- 2002: Some regional dissident factions return to the main Liberal Party. Other factions regroup in new political movements, most of them associated with the dissidential liberal president Álvaro UribeÁlvaro UribeAlvaro 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....
(ALAS, United Popular Movement, National Progressist Movement, MORAL, MIPOL, Citizen's Convergence, Let's Go Colombia, Civic Popular Convergence, Radical Change Party, We are Colombia, Colombia Always, New Liberalism, Popular Will, Independent Civic Movement and Social Security Movement) - 2003: The political reform allows parliamentarists to regroup themselves. The main Liberal Party becomes oppositor to Uribe's government, while all pro-Uribe members of the liberal party join other parties. The New Party (Nuevo Partido) is formed to unite all pro-Uribe liberals, however, not all of them join this group, as some of them joined Radical Change Party. Most of the previous factions unite in only three parties: Democratic Colombia Party, Living Colombia Movement and Citizen's Convergence Party.
- 2006: The New Party, along with some members of the liberal party, some of Radical Change, minor liberal and independent movements, plus a small group of conservatives, form the Social National Unity PartySocial National Unity PartyThe Social Party of National Unity , or Party of the U is a liberal conservative political party in Colombia. It attempts to unite various parliamentary supporters of Álvaro Uribe, the Uribistas, in one political party. Currently it is Colombia's largest political party.Security is the top...
, most known as Party of the U, which is currently the biggest party of Colombia. Radical Change Party grows with the fusion with independent liberal and Christian movements. Other three liberal small parties had representation: Democratic Colombia Party, Living Colombia Movement and Citizen's Convergence Party. - 2010: Half of the parliamentaries from Radical Change Party switch to Party of the U. The three small liberal movements (Democratic Colombia Party, Living Colombia Movement and Citizen's Convergence Party) unite to become the National Integration Party (PIN).
Liberal leaders
- Partido Liberal: Jorge Eliécer GaitánJorge Eliécer GaitánJorge Eliécer Gaitán Ayala was a politician, a leader of a populist movement in Colombia, a former Education Minister and Labor Minister , mayor of Bogotá and one of the most charismatic leaders of the Liberal Party.He was assassinated during his second presidential campaign in 1948, setting off...
- Alfonso López MichelsenAlfonso López MichelsenAlfonso López Michelsen was a Colombian politician, lawyer and journalist. Lopez Michelsen was President of Colombia from 1974 to 1978. He was the son of Alfonso López Pumarejo, who was also president of Colombia from 1934 to 1938, and once again from 1942 to 1945...
- Luis Carlos GalánLuis Carlos GalánLuis Carlos Galán Sarmiento was a Colombian journalist and liberal politician who ran for the presidency of Colombia on two occasions, the first time representing the Liberal Party in 1982 which he lost to Belisario Betancur...
See also
- History of ColombiaHistory of ColombiaThis article deals with the history of Colombia, a country in South America.-Pre-Colombian period:Approximately 10,000 years BC hunter-gatherer societies existed near present-day Bogotá , and they traded with one another and with cultures living in the Magdalena River valley...
- Politics of ColombiaPolitics of ColombiaThe Politics of Colombia take place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Colombia is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government...
- List of political parties in Colombia