NDI launched the Political Leadership Program (Leadership Program, LP) in 1999 to strengthen the leadership skills and ability of emerging political leaders to promote the modernization and renewal of political parties.

Carlos Contreras

Contreras of the Indigenous Social Alliance (ASI) of Colombia is the mayor of Barrancabermeja, a city in the oil region that is a perennial conflict zone. Contreras has served as director of municipal planning in Barrancabermeja and the regional system coordinator of participatory planning of the state of Magdalena Medio. As mayor, he is continuing to carry out successfully his 2006 Leadership Program project of better engaging citizens in local budget decision making through  participatory budget initiatives. (See profile)

Carlos Daniel Fernández

Fernández is coordinator of the parliamentary group of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) in the Mexican state of Sonora. He previously served as the president of the state committee of the PRI. Under his leadership and as part of his 2006 Leadership Program project, the PRI parliamentary group in Sonora implemented a number of innovative transparency and constituency outreach initiatives, including establishing 14 district offices and developing outreach projects such as job placement, health campaigns and directing needy constituents to appropriate federal and state programs. During his tenure, the PRI parliamentary group of Sonora began publishing all of its expenditures online and began broadcasting all of its deliberations via webcam. (See Web site)

Liliana Rojero

Rojero is the secretary general of the Mexican Ministry of Women. While serving as national director of the women’s division of the National Action Party (PAN), Rojero helped organize a nationwide network of female party activists to support women candidates. This network contributed to several critical electoral victories for the PAN in the 2003 midterm elections and allowed women to begin to position themselves as vital players within the party. As a result of these initiatives, the PAN has elected the largest number of women federal legislators of the three largest parties in Mexico in the 2003 and 2006 election cycles. These initiatives were developed and implemented as part of Rojera’s 2003 Leadership Program project. (See interview)

Read more about the Political Leadership Program and its 10th anniversary.

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Published on July 31, 2009