Regional Integration and political and party organizations. The political parties of Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay in the MERCOSUL

Abstract

This article analyzes the possible impacts of the MERCOSUL in the core of the partisan organizations. Keeping in mind the context in which the integration process took place and was developed, the aim was to investigate whether the MERCOSUL has aroused adaptive organizational answers on behalf of the political parties. Seven political parties from three countries were taken as reference: Partido Justicialista (PJ) and Unión Cívica Radical (UCR), on behalf of Argentina; Frente Amplio (FA), Partido Nacional (PN) and Partido Colorado (PC), on behalf of Uruguay; and Asociación Nacional Republicana (ANR) and Partido Liberal Radical Auténtico (PLRA), on behalf of Paraguay. The analysis covered the 1991-2006 period and was based in surveys and documented sources. With differences based in national features, the conclusion has been reached that, in general, the organizations have restrained themselves from the MERCOSUL and only partially have they incorporated organizational answers related with the integration.