‘Agora Democrática’ Party Strengthening Programme

Although virtually all of the Latin American democracies struggle with important governance challenges, the governments of the five countries of the Andes are most at risk.

In Bolivia, violent protests forced President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada to resign in October. In Venezuela, the political situation remains tense, as opponents of President Hugo Chavez push for a referendum that they hope will lead to his demise.

Embattled Ecuadorian President Lucio Gutierrez has to endure frequent protests and low approval ratings. Having won the 2002 election with the help of indigenous groups, the withdrawal of their support has fractured his ruling coalition. Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, meanwhile, enjoys widespread popularity, although his country is plagued by a 40-year-old civil war that claims the lives of at least 3,500 people each year, mainly civilians.

Peru is no exemption. With his approval rating hovering between seven and ten per cent, President Alejandro Toledo has initiated three major cabinet reshuffles and four changes of prime minister.

IDEA and Peru
Early on, IDEA’s Peru Programme identified the development of a political party law as essential to ensuring good governance and democratic stability in the country.

In 2002–03, IDEA and local partner Transparencia set up and implemented a programme to generate a political party law for Peru, involving analysis, technical assistance, debate, and the formulation of a proposal. Critical to the success of this effort was the creation of an Inter-Party Working Group, which met regularly to draft the law. The Peruvian Congress approved the Law on Political Parties in October 2003.

Agora Rationale and Plans for 2004
IDEA’s recent experience of political parties in Latin America has served to highlight the need for more intensive strengthening of political parties in Peru and beyond. According to a survey by the Latin American Governability Barometer, respondents rated political parties as the least trusted institution in each of the five countries of the Andes. Many political analysts have commented on the inability of Andean political parties either to present or successfully negotiate constructive proposals, or to interact with civil society.

The Agora Democrática programme, co-funded by DFID, IDEA and UNDP, is designed to fill the gap between law and reality by supporting training and inter-party dialogue and by providing technical assistance.

In 2004, Agora is to focus on three types of activities.

• Training political party (80 per cent) and civil society (20 per cent) representatives.
• Creating opportunities for dialogue and exchange between political parties and members of the media, the business sector, unions, and other key civil society actors.
• Providing technical assistance to aid implementation of the Law on Political Parties.