Colombia's ruling party to be top force in Senate, but without majority

RiddleMaster · 2026-03-10T06:14:48+00:00

Colombia's Historic Pact party secured the most Senate seats in recent elections but lacks a majority, necessitating coalitions. As divisions persist in Congress, challenges loom for governance ahead of the presidential election.

RiddleMaster

2026-03-10 06:14:48

Abstract generation in progress

BOGOTA, March 9 (Reuters) - Colombia’s ruling party, the left-leaning Historic Pact, emerged from Sunday’s elections as the strongest political force in the incoming Senate, analysts said on Monday, although its failure to secure an absolute ‌majority means it will need to form coalitions and may struggle if Colombia’s divided right wing wins the presidency.

The party, which brought President Gustavo Petro to power in 2022, won 25 out of 102 Senate seats in Sunday’s legislative elections, according to official results. Finishing second was the right-wing Democratic Center, led by ⁠former President Alvaro Uribe, with 17 seats.

The Reuters Iran Briefing newsletter keeps you informed with the latest developments and analysis of the Iran war. Sign up here.

The two forces will likely jostle to make deals with other parties in the fragmented Senate, which include Colombia’s Liberal Party with 13 seats, the Green Alliance with 10, the Conservative Party with 10, La U with nine, and Radical Change with seven. Eleven other seats were distributed among various smaller parties.

In the House of Representatives, results from the electoral authority show the opposition Democratic Center leading with 32 out of 182 seats, followed by the ‌Liberal ⁠Party with 31, and the Historic Pact with 29. The Conservative Party obtained 18 seats, Radical Change 13, and the Green Alliance 7.

Ivan Cepeda, Historic Pact’s presidential candidate in May’s presidential election, described the legislative election results as a “categorical victory,” saying his party had become ⁠the primary political force in Congress.

However, analysts suggest that if Cepeda loses the presidential election to right-wing candidates Paloma Valencia or Abelardo De La Espriella, his party will become the main ⁠opposition force.

Ariel Avila, a re-elected senator from the Green Alliance, believes that Colombia’s next president, whether from the right or the left, will have a tough ⁠time getting things done, predicting a “vetocracy” where lawmakers block parties simply because they come from the opposing side.

“It is a very fragmented Congress and it is difficult to mend,” Avila said.

Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta; Editing by Lincoln Feast

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Suggested Topics:
Americas

X
Facebook
Linkedin
Email
Link

Purchase Licensing Rights

Luis Jaime Acosta

Thomson Reuters

Luis Jaime has worked at Reuters for more than 30 years. While he chiefly covers Colombia’s armed conflict and the fight against drug trafficking from capital Bogotá, he also reports on politics, human rights, corruption, sports and the coffee industry, as well as companies in the energy and mining sectors. Before joining Reuters, he worked for Colombia’s Caracol Radio network for five years. Contact: +573102107084

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.