Colombia elections signal shift in political landscape

Significance

More than 3,000 posts were contested across Colombia’s 32 departments. The governing Centro Democratico (Democratic Centre, CD) had hoped the contest would cement its position. However, with President Ivan Duque’s popularity plummeting since his election last year, and former President and party founder Alvaro Uribe embroiled in a witness-tampering scandal, the party has emerged bruised. The electorate broadly shifted away from the right, providing some surprising results.

Impacts

• Fajardo may benefit from his association with Bogota Mayor Claudia Lopez in the 2022 presidential race; she too may be tempted to run later.
• Anti-corruption promises will be hard for newly elected mayors and governors to keep and could result in short honeymoon periods.
• Aside from corruption, crime and Venezuelan immigration will pose major challenges for newly elected officials nationwide.