Alianzas y coaliciones en las elecciones de gobernadores en Colombia

Abstract

This article analyzes the coalitions and alliances in the elections of governors in Colombia in the period 2011-2019. This type of strategic coordination is explained from three factors: electoral rules, the characteristics of party competition, and the nature of political parties. The analysis includes 96 departamental elections (32 departments in the elections of 2011, 2015 and 2019), uses electoral results, party identi!cation of candidates, newspaper sources and uses the Gephi program to graphically represent coalitions and alliances winners. The result of the research is synthesized in !ve conclusions: (1) alliances and coalitions are the dominant electoral strategies in this type of election; (2) both are the result of coordination between highly personalized factions and parties whose departamental political class is highly autonomous; (3) most alliances and coalitions are divergent, the parties that are allies in some departments are rivals and competitors in others, (5) this predominance of coalitions and electoral alliances has negative e"ects for democracy in Colombia.