At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Colombia

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Ernesto SAMPER Pizano
• Head of Government: President Ernesto SAMPER Pizano
• Assembly: Colombia has a bicameral Congress (Congreso) consisting of the Senate (Senado) with 102 seats and the House of Representatives (Camara de Representantes) with 166 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 4-year term.
• In the Senate (Senado) 102 members are elected by party list to serve 4-year terms. In the House of Representatives (Camara de Representantes) 166 members are elected by popular vote to serve 4-year terms.

Main Candidates in the Second Round of the Presidential race:

• Andres PASTRANA Arango
  • Party: Great Alliance for Change
• Horacio SERPA Uribe
  • Party: Colombian Liberal Party

Main Candidates in the First Round of the Presidential race:

• Andres PASTRANA Arango
  • Party: Great Alliance for Change
• Horacio SERPA Uribe
  • Party: Colombian Liberal Party
• Noemi SANIN Posada
  • Party: "Yes Colombia" Movement
• Harold BEDOYA Pizarro
  • Party: Colombian Force

Last Presidential election:

• The last presidential election held was held on May 29 and June 19, 1994. In this election, Ernesto SAMPER Pizano received 50.26% of the vote and thus defeated Andres PASTRANA Arango, his closest competitor with 48.15% of the vote.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 37,427,742 (July 1997 est.)
• Registered Voters: 20,765,756

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 19,820,151 (1998)

·         Is Colombia a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Colombia ratified CEDAW: Yes (19 January 1982)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 19 (House of Representatives); 13 (Senate) (following 1998 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 97 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Low (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Colombia a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Colombia ratified CRPD: Yes (10 May 2011)

·         Population with a disability:5,614,161 (est.)