Decking their streets and buildings with flags to symbolize a mood of national optimism, Colombians last week voted 18-to-1 for a novel experiment in government. They approved a constitutional amendment for a long cooling-off period in which all offices will be split equally between the long-warring Liberal and Conservative parties. At elections for the next twelve years, members of each party will choose only their own party's 50% delegation to Congress, departmental legislature and municipal councils. The executive branch will divide political appointments, half to each party, will name Supreme Court justices the same way.
The first election is to...