GUIDANCE

What Colombia's New Leader Will -- and Won't -- Be Able to Do

May 26, 2018 | 14:08 GMT

Supporters of Colombian presidential candidate Ivan Duque attend his final campaign rally in Bogota on May 20, ahead of the May 27 presidential election.

Supporters of Colombian presidential candidate Ivan Duque attend his final campaign rally in Bogota on May 20, ahead of the May 27 presidential election.

(RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images)

Highlights

  • Colombia will hold the first round of its presidential election on May 27 amid deep voter polarization that is embodied in the two front-runners: the conservative Ivan Duque and the leftist Gustavo Petro.
  • The next administration will struggle to accomplish much in Congress without the assent of other parties.
  • The winner of this year's vote will have great influence over several matters that the president has the power to significantly alter, such as the demobilization of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

Colombians will head to the polls on May 27 for an election during a fateful time for their country. The candidates in the first round range from the far right to the far left, but two hopefuls from opposite sides of the divide -- the socialist Gustavo Petro and the conservative Ivan Duque -- stand the best chance of advancing to a June 17 runoff. From there, the winner would have the opportunity to leave a deep impact on Colombia's landmark peace deal or trade policy....

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