Colombia presidential election headed to runoff between de la Espriella and Cepeda
Colombia's presidential election will proceed to a runoff after no candidate won an outright majority in the first round. Abelardo de la Espriella led with 43.62%, followed by Ivan Cepeda with 41.13%, setting up a June 21 runoff.
Colombia's presidential election will proceed to a runoff after no candidate won an outright majority in the first round of voting, according to preliminary results released Sunday by electoral authorities. With 96% of ballots counted, the country's National Civil Registry reported that Abelardo de la Espriella, the presidential nominee for the conservative National Salvation Movement, led the race with 43.62% of the vote.
Second place
Ivan Cepeda, a senator running under the banner of the ruling Pacto Histórico coalition, placed second with 41.13%. Paloma Valencia of the Centro Democrático party finished third with 6.86%, followed by former Antioquia Governor Sergio Fajardo with 4.20%, and Raul Santiago Botero with 0.95%.
Runoff date
As no candidate surpassed the 50% threshold required to win outright, de la Espriella and Cepeda will advance to a runoff election scheduled for June 21 to determine Colombia's next president.
Context
The election comes amid ongoing political tensions in Colombia, with issues including security, economic recovery, and implementation of the 2016 peace deal with FARC rebels dominating the campaign.
Comments you share on our site are a valuable resource for other users. Please be respectful of different opinions and other users. Avoid using rude, aggressive, derogatory, or discriminatory language.