Power-Sharing in Colombia: Bipartisanship, Leftist Insurgencies, and Beyond

This chapter provides a general overview of the evolution and institutionalization of power-sharing agreements that have shaped Colombian politics since the early twentieth century. The chapter discusses how conservatives and liberals frequently adopted consociational pacts to address political violence in the country and analyzes the various results of these agreements over time. As the chapter identifies, Colombia’s practice of power-sharing was historically focused on political participation but was restrictive, exclusionary, and short-term. The power-sharing provisions did not eliminate the security threats emerging from ongoing armed conflict. The chapter discusses elements of power-sharing in peace agreements negotiated with armed groups since the 1980s. We conclude the chapter by discussing how the 2016 Agreement with FARC represents a shift in approach to consociationalism in Colombia as this latest iteration of power-sharing is comprehensive for its focus on political, security, economic, and territorial issues. If implemented, this comprehensiveness might facilitate building democratic and sustainable peace in Colombia.