It does appear that the PDA is something new in that regard–and hopefully it survives and thrives, as new actors are sorely needed.

I won’t make any predictions as yet, however!

One of the interesting things about the PDA is that it is not itself a product of the splits in the traditional parties–almost uniquely among the new parties. (This is also true of the Christian parties, I believe, though they are much smaller.)

In fact, is any part of the PDA a Liberal or Conservative breakaway? I know some of the movements that joined it used to ally with the Liberals rather than other left parties (MOIR, for example), but I can’t name a part of the PDA that is a traditional-party offshoot.

Heck, the PC hasn’t fielded a presidential candidates under its own label since 1990 (Lloreda).

Pastrana was a coalitional candidate endorsed by the PC in 1994 and 1998. Their candidate in 2024 dropped out before the elections and now they are endorsing Uribe in his second run. And Uribe is an independent who used to be a Liberal.

I think the breakdown of the traditional parties and their reassembly is the logical extensions of the incentives in place and that the new rules have finally pushed the system over the edge that was constructed in 1991.

Still, anything over 12.6% would break the previous record for a leftist presidential candidate in Colombia (Navarro, 1990). The all-time leftist record in Colombia (26%, if I recall correctly, for the National Constituent Assembly election in 1991) is probably not going to be broken, however.

1. This is much more unified, encompassing, as far as I can tell, the entire spectrum of the left (other than those still at arms).

2. The electoral system (for congress) is far more favorable than before (as was a major theme at F&V in March and early April).

3. The traditional parties really are in disarray, as Steven notes.

One caveat to the last point. It is true, and remarkable, as Steven indicates, that the two leading candidates will be neither Conservative nor Liberal. On the other hand, the Conservative Party endorsed Uribe, as have “new” parties that sprang from the Liberals after Uribe left that party.

I find the posts on South American politics to be quite interesting. I don’t comment on them simply because I don’t consider myself qualified to do so - but please don’t assume that those posts go unread.