Colombia - March 2026
Colombia holds legislative elections
On 8 March, Colombia held legislative elections for the Senate (108 seats) and House of Representatives (188 seats), alongside intra-party presidential primaries. Voter turnout reached 50.6 per cent, up from 47.0 per cent in 2022. Preliminary results revealed a fragmented Congress, with no single political force securing a majority. The governing Pacto Histórico emerged as the largest bloc in the Senate, while traditional and center-right parties maintained influence in the House, highlighting the need for coalition-based governance ahead of the May presidential election. Women secured around 29.0 per cent of seats, representing little change from the 29.1 per cent recorded in the previous legislature (2022–2026), despite the continued application of gender quota requirements. National and international election observation missions assessed the elections as competitive and well-administered but raised concerns over incidents of campaign violence, vote-buying, and unequal conditions in conflict-affected areas.
Sources: Directorio Legislativo, IPU, Colombia One, EEAS, MOE, OAS
