Colombia’s March 8, 2026 Elections: What’s at Stake and What Voters Will Choose

Colombia is a rule-of-law state, grounded in the separation of powers and the allocation of functions among public institutions. For that reason, the March 8, 2026 elections are key for the country’s future: voters will choose those who will exercise the legislative function (making laws) and those who may take part in the constituent function through specific constitutional changes, subject to the applicable institutional controls.

In Colombia, congressional elections are held separately from presidential elections. Congress is made up of two chambers:

● Senate: elected nationwide, with 108 seats, plus special seats for Indigenous representation.

● House of Representatives: elected regionally (departments and Bogotá) and also through special constituencies, such as Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and the international constituency, which represents Colombians living abroad.

In addition, 2026 is also a presidential election year, with elections scheduled for May 31, 2026. In that context, political parties may hold national consultations on the same date as the congressional elections; in this case, there are three (3) active consultations to select presidential candidates for the upcoming election. These consultations only determine which candidate(s) some parties will endorse.

The importance of electing Congress lies in the fact that members of Congress define new laws, amend existing ones, and may even pursue constitutional reforms—provided those reforms pass the special review carried out by the Constitutional Court.

If you have a legal question, remember you can contact the Capital M Law team.