F.P. Report
BRUSSELS: Legislative elections took place on 13 March in Colombia. Despite a rise in violence in parts of the country, Colombian citizens demonstrated again their commitment to democracy and to their institutions by exercising their democratic rights. These elections also represented another step in the implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement, with the creation of 16 seats in Congress to represent the victims of the conflict.
Upon invitation by Colombia’s electoral authorities, the EU decided for the first time ever to deploy an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to observe the 2022 electoral process. The EU EOM issued today its preliminary statement of findings for the legislative elections. According to the EU EOM, Colombia elected its Congress in a transparent process. The preliminary report highlights, however, that the newly introduced vote to elect representatives in transitional peace constituencies was hampered by serious obstacles.
The EU EOM will remain in the country to observe the presidential election scheduled on 29 May. At the end of the electoral process, the EU EOM will publish a final report with recommendations to improve future elections.
As a long-standing partner of Colombia, the EU continues to support all efforts to improve its strong democracy and implement the 2016 Peace Agreement in its entirety, as required by the country’s Constitution.
