Ecuador and the Dutch consensus model

22 November 2007

On 7 and 8 November, a delegation of the Constitutional Assembly from Ecuador visited the Netherlands to study the Dutch political system and state-society relations.

At the invitation of NIMD ten members of the Assembly, from ruling and opposition parties, were informed about the Dutch multiparty system and the consensus model. The social dialogue between the state, trade unions and employers organisations and the public-private partnership in the energy sector were on the agenda. The visit concluded with a debate with Dutch politicians about coalition building.


Multiparty dialogue

‘During this visit, I have seen that, although Dutch parties differ in opinion, a high level of consensus is being reached,’ says Norman Wray of the ruling party Alternativa Democrática.

According to the members of the delegation, their joint visit to the Netherlands was a first step towards a multiparty dialogue on national issues, such as taxation and socio-economic reforms. They have proposed to set up a multiparty platform in Ecuador to continue this dialogue at home.


Opportunity for reform

The Constitutional Assembly, which was recently elected, is in charge of rebuilding the legal and institutional framework of government, including a new constitution, and drafting a socio-economic reform package.

Since 2004 Ecuador has been discussing the need of reforms. Since the election of Rafael Correa as president in 2006, a political and socio economic reform agenda is taking shape.

The institution of the Assembly is an important step towards political stabilization in Ecuador, which has suffered from serious political and economic turmoil in the last decade.


Risks

The elected Constitutional Assembly presents a promising opportunity to improve Ecuadorian democratic values and institutions. However it also bears political risks, due to the concentration of power around the political movement of president Correa: his ruling party has a 70% majority in the Assembly.

By organizing the visit to the Netherlands NIMD provided a politically neutral setting in which parties from across the political divide were able to discuss future reforms. The first steps towards a constructive multiparty dialogue have been taken.


In Ecuador NIMD and International IDEA support the programme Agora Democrática, aimed at the reinforcement of multiparty democracy. In 2008 Agora Democrática will focus on the work of the Constituent Assembly.