Colombia counts votes for next Congress

Colombians voted on Sunday to elect a new Congress and choose three of the presidential candidates who will run in elections this May, a vote that will shape the next president's ability to push through legislation and ⁠fulfill their agenda.



Voters chose from over 3,000 candidates to fill 102 Senate seats and 182 House seats, in a peaceful election analysts have predicted ‌will be divided among some two dozen parties, likely forcing the next president to form a coalition government.



While polls closed at 4 p.m. local time, results for the Senate and House were too early to call at around 7:30 p.m.



Alongside the legislative elections, right-wing, leftist and centrist groups held primaries to choose candidates for the May presidential election.



With over 86% of the primary vote reported, it was clear that the right-wing primary was won by Democratic Center Senator Paloma Valencia, while former Senator Roy Barreras, an ally of Petro, prevailed for the leftist group. Former Bogota Mayor Claudia Lopez won the centrist primary.