The Independent Democratic Pole (Polo Democrático Independiente) or (PDI), is a leftwing social democratic Colombian political party.
It originally existed as a leftwing congressional coalition and the party itself was officially founded on July 17 2003. The congressional movement consisted of the union of several diverse political tendencies among the Colombian left (including former guerrillas, labor and union leaders, indigenous representatives and others), including many of, but not necessarily limited to, marxist extraction.
Some of the members of the original group which did not formally join the new party remained as members of separate political structures.
The PDI's platform principally consists of supporting a negotiated settlement with the country's leftwing insurgencies, defending the principles and practical applications of Colombia's 1991 Constitution, rejecting the country's traditionally bipartisan politics, and promoting democracy, freedom and social justice while also respecting human rights. The party completely rejects the armed struggle of the FARC and ELN as an effective means to solve Colombia's social, political and economical problems.
Despite threats and violent actions from elements of the country's radical rightwing, most notably from AUC paramilitaries and others, which have resulted in the murder of some of its members, the PDI has become a nationally recognized movement and it has enjoyed some recent electoral successes, such as winning the October 2003 election for the office of Bogotá's mayor through their candidate Luis Eduardo Garzón, the governorship of the Valle del Cauca department through Angelino Garzón , and being partially responsible for the failure of the goverment's October 2003 referendum (which it opposed, together with the Colombian Liberal Party and others). The party also became part of a few ruling coalitions in other local municipalties, such as Nariño, Pasto.
The PDI is present as an observer in the Socialist International. The PDI is currently in political opposition to the government of president Alvaro Uribe, being critical of many of his actions and generally rejecting his policies as counterproductive or ineffective. This has not prevented several of its members from participating in discussions and finding points of agreement with some Uribe supporters or with other more traditional politicians.
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