Institutional and Non–institutional Challenges for the Common Alternative Revolutionary Force (FARC) Party in 2018 Legislative Elections
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.espo.n56a05Keywords:
Political Parties, Electoral Politics, Political Participation, Armed Conflict, Post–Conflict, ColombiaAbstract
This article examines the achievements and challenges of the political participation of the Common Alternative Revolutionary Force (FARC) in the context of the electoral dynamics and evolution of the armed conflict and violence. The reflection about the political participation of the FARC party at the national level is based on the contributions of specialized literature on political reincorporation, and on the 2018 Congress election results. Through the software ArcGis it analyzes the amount of votes obtained by the FARC in relation to decisive variables of the low or high electoral support, such as the presence of armed groups, criminal economies and the killings of leaders. By summarizing these elements, this research identifies various institutional and non–institutional factors that have influenced the political reincorporation of the FARC–EP. The analysis will underscore that, allthough political provisions for the transitory access of the FARC party to seats in the Congress were reasonable in order to achieve a negotiated solution to war, a low vote level for the new party reveals an uncertain future for its continuity in spite of electoral opportunities set by the Final Peace Agreement.
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