Christian Democratic Party (Peru)
Founded in 1956 by Ernesto Alayza Grundy, Luis Bedoya Reyes, Mario Polar Ugarteche, Héctor Cornejo Chávez, Roberto Ramírez del Villar and others.The PDC had its roots in the government of José Bustamante y Rivero who was overthrown in 1948 by Manuel A. Odría although it did not emerge as an organised political party until 1956 when it was one of a number of populist parties formed following Odria's announcement of a new democracy (the other major ones being Popular Action and the Progressive Social Movement).[2] The new party gained seats in both houses in the 1956 elections and initially they only concentrated their efforts on the Congress rather than running for the Presidency.[2] As a result of this failure and the coup that overthrew Manuel Prado Ugarteche, the PDC threw in their lot with the Popular Action and as such returned to Congress in 1963 as junior partners in the coalition supporting new President Fernando Belaúnde Terry.[4] In general, however, the party's prospects were hampered by an anti-clericalism prevalent in Peru and, whilst it gained some support amongst middle class women, it never seriously challenged Popular Action for the centre right vote.