| Author (Corporate) | European Parliament: European Parliamentary Research Service |
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| Series Title | At a Glance |
| Series Details | February 2018 |
| Publication Date | February 2018 |
| Content Type | Journal | Series | Blog, Overview |
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Further information 2018 is an important election year in Colombia, with legislative elections held in March, and the presidential election due on 27 May, with a second round probable, on 17 June, if no candidate got over 50% of the vote. It is also the first time in more than 50 years that elections were being held in peace, after an agreement was reached, and was now being implemented, with the guerilla, FARC. The legislative elections left a fragmented Congress dominated by the right, and the presidential race, though still uncertain, seems to be polarised by a right-wing candidate, Ivan Duque, and his left-wing opponent, Gustavo Petro. Of the six candidates for the presidency, only Ivan Duque, from the Democratic Centre, has openly opposed the agreements made with the FARC, and has promised to make 'structural modifications', in particular regarding the Special Justice for Peace mechanism. The EU, which has actively supported the peace process in Colombia, has sent an electoral expert mission to follow the elections, and the European Parliament will also be present, through a multi-party delegation of eight MEPs.In the year since the signature of the new final peace agreement on 24 November 2016, the peace process in Colombia had not progressed smoothly. Although the disarmament of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and its transformation into a political party, as well as the reduction in violence associated with the conflict, had been a success, aspects such as reintegrating FARC members into civilian life, legal implementation, and rural reform were lagging behind. This was likely to influence Colombia's presidential and legislative elections due to be held in 2018. |
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| Source Link | Link to Main Source http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2018/614692/EPRS_ATA(2018)614692_EN.pdf |
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| Subject Categories | Culture, Education and Research |
| Countries / Regions | Europe, South America |
