Alternative Democratic Pole
The Alternative Democratic Pole (Spanish: Polo Democrático Alternativo or PDA) is a left-wing political party in Colombia, active from 2005 to the present. In 2022 it was successful at the polls and formed the Government of Colombia.
Alternative Democratic Pole Polo Democrático Alternativo | |
|---|---|
| President | Alexander López Maya |
| Senate leader | Iván Cepeda Castro |
| Founded | December 2005 |
| Merger of | Independent Democratic Pole Democratic Alternative |
| Headquarters | Bogotá, Colombia |
| Ideology | Social democracy Progressivism Protectionism |
| Political position | Left-wing |
| National affiliation | Historic Pact for Colombia |
| Regional affiliation | São Paulo Forum |
| Colours | Yellow |
| Chamber of Representatives | 9 / 188 |
| Senate | 6 / 108 |
| Website | |
| www.polodemocratico.net | |
| |
It was founded as a political alliance of the Independent Democratic Pole (PDI) and the Democratic Alternative (AD) in December 2005. Both parties opposed the neoliberal economic program, securitization and militarization of Colombia under then-President Álvaro Uribe. Subsequently, it was the only parliamentary party to declare opposition to the government of Juan Manuel Santos, and then joined the opposition against the government of Ivan Duque.
As of 2009, a considerable number of PDA politicians were still former guerrilla fighters who gave up armed struggle and demobilized during the late 1980s and early 1990s. And by 2012, a considerable part of PDA politicians including the former guerrilla fighters were more alligned with the Green Party, the Movimiento Progresistas, or Marcha Patriótica, than the PDA.