Copei – Social Christian Party of Venezuela
| Copei – Social Christian Party of Venezuela Comité de Organización Política Electoral Independiente – Partido Social Cristiano de Venezuela | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Roberto Enriquez Twitter: @RobertoEnriq |
| Founded | January 13, 1946 |
| Headquarters | Caracas |
| Ideology | Christian democracy |
| International affiliation | Centrist Democrat International |
| Seats in the National Assembly | 8 / 165 |
| Website | |
| http://www.partidocopei.org.ve http://www.copei.net | |
| Politics of Venezuela Political parties Elections | |
Copei – Social Christian Party of Venezuela (Copei, Partido Social Cristiano de Venezuela) is a third way political party in Venezuela. The name stands for Comité de Organización Política Electoral Independiente ("Political Electoral Independent Organization Committee"). It was founded on January 13, 1946, by Rafael Caldera (who later served as president under the party's banner). Copei, along with Democratic Action, was the dominant Venezuelan party from 1958 to 1998. The only other Copei member to preside over Venezuela was Luis Herrera Campins, between 1979 and 1983. The party's leaders were Lorenzo Fernández, Eduardo Fernández and Oswaldo Álvarez Paz.
In the 2000 legislative elections the party won 5 of 165 seats in the National Assembly; 4 additional seats were won by an alliance with Democratic Action. In the 2005 legislative elections Copei staged an electoral boycott and so did not win any seats in the National Assembly.
Venezuelan Presidents by COPEI
| President | Dates in office | Form of entry | Occupation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rafael Caldera Rodríguez | 1969–1974 1994–1999 | Direct elections | Lawyer | |
| Luis Herrera Campins | 1979–1984 | Direct elections | Lawyer |
Further reading
External links
Retrieved from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copei_%E2%80%93_Social_Christian_Party_of_Venezuela
