Colombia’s Election: First Round to a June Runoff

Colombia held the first round of its presidential election on May 31, 2026. More than 41 million citizens were eligible to vote, but no candidate reached the absolute majority required to win in one round. As a result, a runoff between the top two finishers will be held on June 21, 2026. Iván Cepeda has led many opinion polls in the weeks before the vote, although he did not secure the needed majority in the first round. Paloma Valencia, a prominent right‑wing senator, finished third and will not advance to the second round.

The two candidates who advanced offer sharply different approaches. Abelardo de la Espriella ran as an outsider and emphasized tougher measures on crime and public security, while Iván Cepeda represents the left‑wing Historic Pact coalition and has promised to continue negotiations for peace with illegal armed groups. Campaign rallies and debates are expected in the coming weeks. Voters will now choose between these alternatives in the June 21 runoff, and both campaigns are preparing to broaden their appeals to voters who supported other candidates in the first round.