Colombia 2026 Presidential Election

What this countdown tracks

The clock above counts down to Colombia's 2026 presidential election first round on Sunday, May 31, 2026 — the country's first presidential vote since Gustavo Petro's 2022 win as Colombia's first leftist president. A second-round runoff is scheduled for June 21, 2026, between the two top finishers if no candidate clears 50% in the first round. Petro is constitutionally term-limited.

About this election

The Colombian presidency is decided by direct popular vote with a two-round system; the inauguration is fixed for August 7, 2026. The Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil organizes the vote, with the Consejo Nacional Electoral overseeing campaign finance and party registration. Congressional elections occur separately in March 2026, meaning the new president inherits a legislature already seated.

The political backdrop is Petro's contested first term: an ambitious agenda of agrarian reform, health-system overhaul, "total peace" negotiations with armed groups, and energy transition collided with congressional gridlock and a string of cabinet reshuffles. The Pacto Histórico coalition will need to nominate a successor candidate, with Vice President Francia Márquez and former ministers among the names floated. The center-right opposition — Centro Democrático, Cambio Radical, and the Liberal Party — must consolidate against a fragmented field that may include independents tied to Sergio Fajardo, Vicky Dávila, or new movements.

Key issues

Security and the future of "paz total" negotiations with the ELN, Clan del Golfo, and FARC dissidents will dominate, especially after the 2024–2025 spike in coca cultivation and rural violence. Economic management — fiscal deficits, the pension reform's implementation, and energy policy after Ecopetrol's exploration freeze — will be central. Migration from Venezuela, US relations under Trump, and the future of the 2016 Havana peace accord all feature prominently.

Past results

• 2022: Gustavo Petro (Pacto Histórico) defeated Rodolfo Hernández in the runoff, 50.4% to 47.3%.
• 2018: Iván Duque (Centro Democrático) beat Petro in the runoff, 54% to 42%.
• 2014: Juan Manuel Santos won re-election in a runoff against Óscar Iván Zuluaga.
• 2010: Santos won the first round outright after Álvaro Uribe's two-term presidency.
• 2006: Uribe re-elected after the 2005 constitutional amendment allowing a second term.

How to follow

Live results stream from registraduria.gov.co. Major Colombian outlets include Caracol, RCN, Semana, El Tiempo, El Espectador, and La Silla Vacía; international coverage comes from Reuters and AFP. The standard hashtag is #Elecciones2026.

Related countdowns

Pair this with peer Latin American races: Mexico 2027 federal legislative, Peru 2026 runoff, Brazil 2026 general election, and Argentina 2027 general election.

FAQ

When is Colombia's 2026 presidential vote? First round Sunday, May 31, 2026; runoff Sunday, June 21, 2026. Where is the election held? Nationwide across all 32 departments plus Bogotá. Why does it matter? It chooses Petro's successor and decides whether Colombia's first leftist administration becomes a one-term experiment or consolidates into a new political bloc. Can Petro run again? No — Colombia bars consecutive presidential re-election, and the 2015 reform restored a one-term limit.