NDI has been engaged in Colombia since 1999, contributing to political reform processes through the participation of young Colombian political leaders from traditional and emerging parties in NDI’s regional Political Leadership Program. Following extensive reforms in 2003 that fundamentally changed the political system, NDI established a field presence to provide technical assistance to parties who have engaged in internal processes to change party structures, statutes and practices.
Since 2007, NDI has supported the implementation of party workplans on organizational strengthening, internal democracy practices, outreach to new sectors, and enhancing the political participation and skills of representatives of underrepresented sectors including youth, women, Afro-Colombian and indigenous peoples. Together with Colombian and international partners, NDI hosts forums on political and electoral policy reform and is implementing a pilot program to increase citizen participation in the department of Chocó, which has the highest poverty and illiteracy rates in the country. Chocó has the country’s largest per capita Afro-Colombian population, a traditionally underrepresented group in Colombia’s political system.
Political Context
Due to its extensive periods of constitutional civilian rule, Colombia was once considered a model democracy in the Western Hemisphere. Despite relative political stability, more recently Colombian democracy has been under threat from left wing guerrillas, the extensive narcotics industry, and the political influence of paramilitary groups. Although paramilitary groups demobilized in 2005 in exchange for lenient prison sentences, ongoing investigations have uncovered troubling and widespread ties between these illegal armed groups and the Colombian political class, leading to government prosecutions and removal of elected officials, including many members of Congress.
Established in the 19th century, the Liberal and Conservative parties are among the oldest in the world. Their power sharing arrangements in the 1957-1958 National Front Accords had the unfortunate result of fostering many of the Colombian guerrilla movements active today. These groups chafed at the lack of openness and access in the Colombian political system and resorted to violence to force change. Although constitutional reforms in 1991 decentralized the political system, additional reforms are needed to increase the political participation of citizens.
Recent political reforms promoted by President Álvaro Uribe have overhauled the political party system in Colombia, modifying the rules and structures of parliamentary groups and advancing internal party reform measures. These reform efforts include a 2003 political reform bill, a Law of Guarantees to ensure fair competition, and legislation addressing the rules and structures of parliamentary groups. Electoral threshold requirements have drastically reduced the number of parties, and forced others into coalitions to remain in existence. The political reform bill now in Congress could further increase threshold requirements and result in greater consolidation of parties. The Colombian political party system is in a period of transition due to these reforms. Civil society, electoral agencies and political parties are continuing to educate themselves on and adjust to the new rules and regulations.
NDI’s activities in Colombia are dedicated to the memory of Nevio Fernando Serna Díaz, a Colombian mayor who participated in NDI’s Political Leadership Program but was brutally assassinated in May 2000.
