Colombians head to the polls on Sunday (March 8, 2026) to elect a new Congress and select candidates from three major coalitions in a primary-style contest ahead of a presidential election this May. Mr. Petro is ineligible for reelection because the constitution bars a sitting president from running for a consecutive second term. Alongside the congressional vote, Colombians will vote to choose presidential candidates for the country's three major political blocs: the centre, the centre-left, and the right. The winners of the three “inter-party consultations," similar to American primary elections, will go on to compete in the presidential election, whose first round is set for May 31. Presidential hopefuls have long used the primaries to gauge their support before entering the first round of voting.

Source: The Hindu March 08, 2026 09:49 UTC