The EU will deploy an Election Observation Mission to monitor Colombia’s 2026 legislative and presidential elections after being invited by the Colombian authorities.
Esteban González Pons, a Vice-president of the European Parliament, has been appointed as the mission’s Chief Observer by the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, the European External Action Service (EEAS) announced on Thursday.
González Pons said he was “deeply honoured” to lead the mission and looked forward to contributing to upholding electoral guarantees in Colombia, adding that the polls would take place at an “important historical moment."
An EU Election Observation Mission is a group of independent observers sent to assess how an election is run against international and regional standards for democratic elections.
How the EU mission will be staffed
The mission’s core team will consist of 10 election experts due to arrive in Colombia on 26 January 2026.
They will be joined by 38 long-term observers in the second week of February, who will be deployed across the country.
At least 46 short-term observers will be added on each election day, the EU said, adding that the mission would stay in Colombia until the electoral process is completed.
A preliminary statement and press conference will follow shortly after each election, and a final report with recommendations will be presented after the entire process has concluded.
