The Party for Democracy (, PPD), also known as For Democracy () is a centre-left political party in Chile. It states to stand in the traditions of liberal progressivism. It was founded in December 1987 by Ricardo Lagos, who aimed at forming a legal social-democratic party, as the Socialist Party of Chile (PS) remained illegal at the time. The PPD continued to function after the defeat of Pinochet. Until 1997, double membership of PPD and the PS was allowed.
The party nominated, as part of the Concertación (Coalition of Parties for Democracy), in the 1999/2000 presidential elections, Ricardo Lagos Escobar, the main leader of the party. He would later win 48.0% of the vote in the first round and was ultimately elected with 51.3% in the second round. At the 2001 legislative election, the party ran as part of the Coalition of Parties for Democracy and won 20 out of 120 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 3 out of 38 elected seats in the Senate. This changed at the 2005 elections to 21 and 3. In the 2009 elections, it won 18 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 4 in the Senate.
Ideology
The party's ideology can be variously defined as liberal, progressive, liberal-progressive,
In the first few years of the party, it had difficulty establishing a well-defined ideology, due to the political diversity of its founders, who ranged from communist militants to members of the National Party. Eventually it converged on a combination of social democracy and social liberalism (called progressive liberalism in the early years of the party). Currently, according to its "Declaration of Principles," the PPD describes itself as "a left[ist] political party, democratic, progressive and [in favor of] parity".