2026 Democratic Centre presidential primaries
December 15, 2025
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On December 15, 2025, the Democratic Centre party announced Paloma Valencia as the winner after she obtained the majority of votes in the electoral college. The selection process involved a survey conducted through a first and second poll that defined the chances of the three candidates. Delegates from the Democratic Centre, including senators, representatives, departmental deputies, and members, were responsible for selecting the presidential candidate.[1]
Valencia will test her strength in the 2026 Colombian presidential primaries, along with other candidates from various political factions, where her running mate will be chosen.
Candidate and Results
The main candidates in the Democratic Centre's 2026 presidential primaries either held important elected positions or received substantial media coverage.
| Candidate | Born | Most recent position | Department | Campaign announced | Results | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Paloma Valencia |
January 19, 1978 (age 47) Popayán, Cauca |
Senator (2014–present) |
Cauca | August 25, 2025[2][3] | 1 003 votes | [4][5][6] | |
María Fernanda Cabal |
August 8, 1966 (age 59) Cali, Cauca Valley |
Senator (2014–present) |
Valle del Cauca | August 30, 2025[7][8] | 871 votes | ||
Paola Holguín |
November 11, 1973 (age 52) Medellín, Antioquia |
Senator (2014–present) |
Antioquia | January 31, 2024[9][10] | 367 votes | ||
Controversies
Following the death of Miguel Uribe Turbay, his father, Miguel Uribe Londoño, assumed leadership of his presidential campaign, initially receiving the support of the Democratic Center party. On December 1, the party officially announced its three candidates, omitting Uribe Londoño's name from the primary election list.[11] He responded days later with a statement declaring that he had not been notified of the decision and that he was resigning from the party, acknowledging that it no longer upheld its founding values.[12][13]
On January 26, a month after Paloma Valencia was chosen as the party's candidate, María Fernanda Cabal, along with her husband José Félix Lafaurie, announced their irrevocable resignation from the party, citing irregularities in the primary election as the main reason.[14] Cabal announced her support for Valencia in the 2026 presidential election, running as an independent.
See also
Notes
References
- ^ López Romero, Yeison Andrés (December 1, 2025). "Centro Democrático confirmó que comenzó su consulta interna y que serán dos los candidatos presidenciales de la colectividad". Infobae. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
- ^ "Paloma Valencia anunció su precandidatura presidencial y dijo que su etapa en el Congreso "ha terminado"". Noticias RCN. August 25, 2025. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
- ^ "Paloma Valencia lanza su precandidatura presidencial". El Nuevo Siglo. August 27, 2025. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
- ^ "Con el 46% y el 17% Paloma ganó las dos encuestas del Uribismo". La Silla Vacía. December 16, 2026. Retrieved December 18, 2025.
- ^ Stacey, Diego (December 15, 2025). "Paloma Valencia es la candidata presidencial del uribismo". El País. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
- ^ "Paloma Valencia ganó la encuesta interna del Centro Democrático y será su candidata presidencial, ¿qué sigue?". El Colombiano. December 16, 2025. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
- ^ Triana Sánchez, Santiago (August 29, 2024). "María Fernanda Cabal se postula a la candidatura presidencial del uribismo para 2026". El País. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ "María Fernanda Cabal confirma que será candidata a la presidencia". La Silla Vacía. August 30, 2024. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
- ^ Rodríguez, Mario Alejandro (January 31, 2024). "Paola Holguín confirmó que será precandidata a la Presidencia de Colombia en 2026: tendrá dura puja con María Fernanda Cabal". Infobae. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
- ^ "Paola Holguín confirma su precandidatura para las presidenciales 2026". El Meridiano. January 31, 2024. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ "Centro Democrático retira a Miguel Uribe Londoño de su lista de precandidatos luego de que De la Espriella manifestara haber recibido su apoyo". El Heraldo. December 1, 2025. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
- ^ ""Irrevocablemente": Uribe Londoño renuncia al Centro Democrático tras su expulsión de las presidenciales". El Espectador. December 2, 2025. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
- ^ Pineda, María Paula (December 2, 2025). "Miguel Uribe renuncia irrevocablemente al Centro Democrático y desiste a su aspiración presidencial". Caracol Radio. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "María Fernanda Cabal renuncia al Centro Democrático". La Silla Vacía. January 26, 2026. Retrieved January 26, 2026.