Christian Social Party (Ecuador) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Christian Social Party
Partido Social Cristiano
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| Abbreviation | PSC |
| Leader | Jaime Nebot |
| President | Alfredo Serrano |
| Founders | Camilo Ponce Enríquez Sixto Durán Ballén |
| Founded | 13 November 1951 |
| Headquarters | Guayaquil |
| Youth wing | La Cantera de la 6 |
| Membership (2022) | 161,669 |
| Ideology |
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| Political position | Center-right to center-left |
| International affiliation | International Democrat Union |
| Regional affiliation | Union of Latin American Parties |
| Colors | Gold Red |
| Seats in the National Assembly |
14 / 137
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| Provincial Prefects |
8 / 137
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| Mayors |
73 / 221
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| Website | |
| http://la6.org/ | |
The Christian Social Party (known as Partido Social Cristiano or PSC in Spanish) is an important political party in Ecuador. It is generally seen as a party that holds views from the center-right to the center-left. This means its ideas are a mix of traditional and modern approaches to politics.
Contents
How the Party Started
The Christian Social Party was founded in 1951. It was first called the Christian Social Movement. Two important people started it: Camilo Ponce Enríquez, who later became Ecuador's president (1956-1960), and Sixto Durán Ballén.
Where the Party is Strong
When it first started, the party was mostly popular in Quito, the capital city. But since the 1980s, its popularity shifted. It became much stronger in the coastal areas of Ecuador. This includes cities like Guayaquil, which is a major economic center. It's also very popular in coastal provinces such as Guayas, El Oro, Los Rios, and Manabi. These areas make up about half of Ecuador's population.
However, the party is not as strong in the Andean mountain region. This shows how different parts of Ecuador can have very different political views. Even though the PSC holds many important positions in Guayas and Guayaquil, it hasn't had a president since León Febres Cordero was in office from 1984 to 1988.
Important Moments and Leaders
Over the years, the Christian Social Party has seen some changes and new leaders.
Party Splits and New Groups
In 1978, some members who had more moderate or left-leaning views left the party. They formed a new party called Popular Democracy. This new group was led by Osvaldo Hurtado, who later became president of Ecuador (1981-1984).
Later, another split happened. After León Febres Cordero's group within the PSC chose Jaime Nebot as their presidential candidate, Sixto Durán Ballén and his supporters left. They formed a new party called Republican Union, which was more conservative. Interestingly, Durán Ballén was elected president for the term 1992-1996.
Presidential Elections
Jaime Nebot ran for president for the PSC in 1996. He won the first round of voting but lost in the second round to Abdalá Bucaram.
In the 2002 presidential election, the PSC candidate, Xavier Neira, received about 12.2% of the votes. In the 2006 election, Cynthia Viteri was the PSC candidate. She got about 9.91% of the votes and did not make it to the second round. Both Neira and Viteri finished in 5th place in their respective elections.
Recent Elections and Alliances
After León Febres Cordero passed away, Jaime Nebot became the main leader of the party. He helped form a partnership with another party called "Madera de Guerrero." This partnership became a strong group in the National Assembly (Ecuador's parliament).
For the 2021 general elections, the PSC joined forces with the Creating Opportunities party and its candidate, Guillermo Lasso. Lasso eventually won the election.
In the 2023 Ecuadorian general election, the PSC first supported Jan Topić. For the second round of voting, the party announced its support for Daniel Noboa. They stated that they would never support the political movement known as "Correism."
