The legislative elections held in Colombia have resulted in a deeply fragmented parliament, with no party able to secure an absolute majority, according to preliminary results. This election, marked by relatively low voter turnout, could complicate the task of the future president in governing and implementing reforms.
Voters were called upon to choose more than 3,000 candidates to fill the 102 Senate seats and the 182 House of Representatives seats. Simultaneously, some political parties were also holding primaries to select their candidates for the presidential election scheduled for next May.
According to initial results, the left-wing Historic Pact, a coalition supporting President Gustavo Petro, and the right-wing Democratic Center, led by former President Alvaro Uribe, are expected to win the most seats in the Senate. However, neither side appears capable of controlling Congress on its own.
Abstention exceeded 50%, according to preliminary estimates, confirming a recurring trend in Colombian political life. This low turnout reflects, in particular, the distrust of a segment of the electorate towards institutions and political parties.
In this context, the future Colombian president will likely have to contend with a divided Parliament and build a coalition to pass his program. The balance of power in Congress will play a decisive role in the next head of state's ability to govern effectively.
