Political Parties in Latin America: The Evolution of Their Legal Framework

This paper addresses the vast subject area of regulations governing the activities of political parties in Latin America. Based on a comparative analysis, Olguín Uribe offers the reader an overview of the development of legal provisions applicable to political parties in Latin America and the extent to which the law has kept pace with their evolution. Emphasis is placed on reforms passed with a view to transforming political parties into more responsible, more dynamic legal entities, given that these organizations are the basis for the consolidation of democracy, political stability and economic development in the region. The author introduces us to the “legal regulation of political parties” theory and discusses the four stages of evolution in laws governing political parties since their emergence in Europe in the eighteenth century. He then analyses the development of the legal framework governing political parties in Latin America by making a comparative study of all 20 countries in the region, how these recognize and control political parties, from their founding, legal nature and extinction to their internal structuring, membership and affiliations, to other relevant issues, such as access to the mass media, coalitions and alliances. Although the legal framework regulating the activities of political parties in Latin America has evolved gradually over time, Olguín Uribe believes that rapid progress has been made in the last two decades toward promoting the effective and transparent participation of citizens who respect well-founded democratic values.