View source for Government of Colombia

{{Short description|none}}{{Infobox government
| government_name  = Government of Colombia
| image            = Logo_gobierno_de_Colombia_(2022-2026).png
| caption          =Logo since 2022 
| date             = 
| country          = {{flagdeco|Colombia}} [[Colombia]]
| branch1          = Executive
| branch1_label1   = Head of state
| branch1_data1    = [[President of Colombia]]<br>([[Gustavo Petro]])
| branch2          = Legislative
| legislature      = [[Congress of Colombia]]<br>
{{Bulleted list
| [[Senate of Colombia]]
| [[Chamber of Representatives of Colombia]]
}}
| branch3          =  
| leader_type      = 
| leader_title     = 
| leader_type2     = 
| leader_title2    = 
| main_organ       = 
| branch4          = Judicial
| court            = {{Bulleted list
| [[Supreme Court of Justice of Colombia]]
|  [[Council of State (Colombia)]]
| [[Constitutional Court of Colombia]]
| [[Superior Council of Judicature]]
}}
| url              = {{URL|https://www.gov.co/}}
|main_body=|branch1_label2=Vice head of state|branch1_data2=[[Vice President of Colombia]]<br> ([[Francia Márquez]])|nativename=|government_form=|document_type=Constitution|document=[[Colombian Constitution of 1991]]|branch1_label3=Cabinet|branch1_data3=[[Council of Ministers of Colombia]]|meeting_place=[[National Capitol of Colombia]]}}

The '''Government of Colombia''' is a [[Unitary state|unitary]] [[Presidential system|presidential]] [[republic]] with [[separation of powers]] into an [[Executive (government)|executive]], [[Judiciary|judicial]], and [[legislative branch]]. The executive is led by the [[President of Colombia|president]], who acts as both the head of state and government, the judiciary includes four high courts which manage different fields of the law, and the national legislature is a bicameral [[Congress of Colombia|congress]] composed of the [[Senate of Colombia|senate]] and [[Chamber of Representatives of Colombia|chamber of representatives]].

The country is principally divided into 32 [[Departments of Colombia|departments]] and one [[Bogotá|capital district]].

{{Democracy Index rating|Colombia|flawed democracy|2024}}<!--PRE-REWRITE LEAD (unsourced): The citizens of Colombia cast votes concerning their government, and they employ a public sector office for an [[Inspector General of colombia|inspector general]] to oversee the [[public office|public interface]] of the government. This safeguards the public, and guarantees the [[human rights]] spelled out in the [[Constitution of 1991]], which provides the framework for a [[welfare state]] and a [[unitary republic]].

Colombia has "control institutions" that mix government and public officials, who work alongside one another. For example, the public's inspector general works closely with the [[Controller General of Colombia|government's controller general]], whose job it is to ensure governmental [[balanced budget|fiscal responsibility]]. An independent [[Ombudsman's Office of Colombia|Ombudsman]] deals with maladministration complaints and functions.-->

== Executive ==<!--PRE-REWRITE EXECUTIVE SECTION (unsourced): 
The executive branch of power in Colombia is headed by the President of the Republic. He is supported by the Vice President of Colombia, the [[Council of Ministers of Colombia|Council of Ministers]] and Government entities of Colombia| Administrative Departments of Colombia. The government is in charge of creating and developing policies concerning Colombia, while the governors of the [[Departments of Colombia]] are elected by popular vote to represent the president and the executive branch of government. 
Mayors are subordinated to the governors, who are the maximum representatives of the executive branch of government at a [[Municipalities of Colombia|municipal]] level. Mayors are also elected in regional elections, along with the department governors.-->

=== President ===
{{Main|President of Colombia}}
The president of Colombia is elected by a direct popular vote, with elections held every four years. They are the head of state and government, as well as the [[commander-in-chief]] and supreme administrative authority.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Fuentes |first=Juan-Andrés |title=Research Guides: Colombian Legal Research: Basic Legal Structure |url=https://guides.library.harvard.edu/c.php?g=1226310&p=8972551 |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=[[Harvard Law School]] Library |language=en}}</ref> In 2015, congress limited the presidency to a single four-year term, preventing the president from seeking re-election.<ref>{{cite news |last1=L |first1=Elizabeth Reyes |date=4 June 2015 |title=Colombian lawmakers approve a one-term limit for presidents |url=https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2015/06/04/inenglish/1433416990_898964.html |work=EL PAÍS English Edition |language=en-us}}</ref>

For 150 years, excluding [[Colombian Military Junta|military dictatorships]] in the 1950s, the president came from either the [[Colombian Liberal Party|Liberal Party]] or [[Colombian Conservative Party|Conservative Party]], with the country being a [[two-party system]]. But, every president following the [[2002 Colombian presidential election|2002 election]] has come from a third party.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Colombia in Detail |url=https://justiceforcolombia.org/about-colombia/colombia-in-detail/ |access-date=2025-07-19 |website=Justice for Colombia |language=en-US}}</ref>[[File:Casa-narino-1-fachada.jpg|thumb|''[[Casa de Nariño]]'', the presidential palace in [[Bogotá]], houses the [[President of Colombia]]|left]]
=== Vice President ===
{{Main|Vice President of Colombia}}
The Vice President is the second-highest executive office in Colombia. They are elected directly through appearing on a ticket with a presidential candidate. The office was reestablished by the constitution of 1991 after being abolished in 1905.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Villanueva |first=Juliana |title=¿Cuáles son las funciones del vicepresidente? {{!}} Elecciones Colombia |url=https://www.radionacional.co/actualidad/politica/cuales-son-las-funciones-del-vicepresidente-elecciones-colombia |access-date=2025-07-16 |website=Radio Nacional de Colombia}}</ref>

=== Council of Ministers ===
{{Main|Council of Ministers of Colombia}}The [[Council of Ministers of Colombia|Council of Ministers]] is the national [[Cabinet (government)|government cabinet]] of Colombia, it is composed of the most senior appointed politicians of the executive branch. In addition to the president and vice president, members are the heads of [[Ministry (government department)|ministries]] and administrative departments. Its composition has changed throughout history, but the council currently includes 19 ministers<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ley  1444 de 2011 Congreso de la República de Colombia |url=https://www.alcaldiabogota.gov.co/sisjur/normas/Norma1.jsp?i=42796 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240220213428/https://www.alcaldiabogota.gov.co/sisjur/normas/Norma1.jsp?i=42796 |archive-date=2024-02-20 |access-date=2025-07-16 |website=Alcaldia Bogota}}</ref> and 6 directors of administrative departments, all appointed by the president.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-08-18 |title=¿Quiénes son los ministros del Gobierno de Gustavo Petro? Este es su gabinete |url=https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2022/08/18/ministros-gobierno-gustavo-petro-colombia-nombramientos-gabinete-orix/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818181711/https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2022/08/18/ministros-gobierno-gustavo-petro-colombia-nombramientos-gabinete-orix/ |archive-date=2022-08-18 |access-date=2025-07-16 |work=[[CNN]] |language=es-ES}}</ref> 

== Legislature ==
{{main|Legislative Branch of Colombia|Congress of Colombia|Elections in Colombia}}
The legislative branch of Colombia's national government is the bicameral Congress, composed of the Senate and Chamber of Representatives. Its primary duties are lawmaking and legislative regulation, this includes drafting, enacting, interpreting, amending, and repealing laws.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Colombia: Government |url=https://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/colombia/government |access-date=2025-07-04 |website=global Edge |publisher=[[Michigan State University]] |language=en-us}}</ref>

=== Senate ===
{{Main|Senate of Colombia}}The Senate of Colombia is composed of 108 seats, with members elected to 4 year terms in direct elections through a party-list proportional representation system.<ref name=":2" /> The senate has 7 permanent commissions and a board of directors.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Historia |url=http://senado.gov.co/portalsenado/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=7&Itemid=7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110108221834/http://senado.gov.co/portalsenado/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=7&Itemid=7 |archive-date=2011-01-08 |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=Senado de Colombia |language=es-es}}</ref>

=== Chamber of Representatives ===
{{Main|Chamber of Representatives of Colombia}}The Chamber of Representatives of Colombia is composed of 188 members elected to 4 year terms in direct elections through a party-list proportional representation system.<ref name=":2" /> One seat is dedicated to representing the [[Raizal]] ethnic group, two seats are dedicated to the [[Indigenous peoples in Colombia]], and one is dedicated to [[Colombian diaspora|Colombians abroad]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=¿Será que en el Congreso 2026 por fin ocuparán la curul raizal en Cámara? |url=https://www.elnuevosiglo.com.co/politica/sera-que-en-el-congreso-2026-2030-por-fin-ocuparan-la-curul-raizal-en-camara |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240909100756/https://www.elnuevosiglo.com.co/politica/sera-que-en-el-congreso-2026-2030-por-fin-ocuparan-la-curul-raizal-en-camara |archive-date=2024-09-09 |access-date=2025-07-16 |website=El Nuevo Siglo |language=es}}</ref><ref name=":7" />

== Judiciary ==
{{main|Judiciary of Colombia}}
 <!--PRE-REWRITE JUDICIARY SECTION (unsourced): 
The judiciary comprises a hierarchical system of courts presided over by judges, magistrates and other adjudicators.

Colombia is a centralized state, thus there is only one jurisdiction (with the exception of special indigenous jurisdictions), which is functionally divided by subject matter into an ordinary, penal, administrative, disciplinary, constitutional and special jurisdictions (military, [[Special Jurisdiction of Peace|peace]], and indigenous matters).
[[File:Subdivisiones de Colombia.svg|thumb|273x273px|Subdivisions of Colombia]]-->
The judiciary of Colombia interprets and applies the laws of the country to ensure equal justice under law and to provide a mechanism for dispute resolution. The judicial branch of Colombia's national government is composed of four high courts: the [[Supreme Court of Justice of Colombia|Supreme Court of Justice]] which takes on matters of criminal law, the [[Council of State (Colombia)|Council of State]] which handles administrative law, the [[Constitutional Court of Colombia|Constitutional Court]] dealing with constitutional law, and the [[Superior Council of Judicature]] which manages jurisdictional conflicts and judicial administration.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=April 2007 |title=Country Fact Sheet: COLOMBIA |url=https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/eoir/legacy/2013/11/07/COUNTRY_FACT_SHEET_4.pdf |website=Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Colombia 1991 (rev. 2013) |url=https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Colombia_2013?lang=en |access-date=23 April 2015 |website=Constitute}}</ref> Colombia’s legal system follows [[Civil law (legal system)|civil law]].<ref name=":4" />

=== Supreme Court of Justice of Colombia ===
{{main|Supreme Court of Justice of Colombia}}

The Supreme Court of Justice of Colombia handles criminal law,<ref name=":0" /> composed of 23 judges appointed to non-renewable 8 year terms by congress from a list of candidates.<ref name=":2" /> Justices must be a lawyer who has served a minimum of 10 years in the judiciary, the public ministry, or at an established educational institution and be a natural-born Colombian citizen.<ref name=":6" /> The court was created in 1886<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Historia |url=https://cortesuprema.gov.co/corte/index.php/historia/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106180725/https://cortesuprema.gov.co/corte/index.php/historia/ |archive-date=2019-01-06 |access-date=2025-07-16 |website=Corte Suprema de Justicia de Colombia |language=es}}</ref> and is led by the [[President of the Supreme Court of Justice]]. Below the Supreme Court are Judicial District Superior Tribunals and below them, district courts.<ref name=":4" /> Prior to the 1991 constitution, it was the highest legal, civil, criminal and constitutional court in Colombia.<ref name=":6" />

=== Council of State ===
{{main|Council of State (Colombia)}}

The Council of State handles administrative law.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":6" /> It was established in 1817 by the first president of Colombia [[Simón Bolívar]].<ref>[http://www.consejodeestado.gov.co/linea_tiempo.html#/step-3 ''Linea de Tiempo'' (timeline)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160329213655/http://consejodeestado.gov.co/linea_tiempo.html#/step-3|date=2016-03-29}}, Council of State website</ref>

=== Constitutional Court ===
{{main|Constitutional Court of Colombia}}

The Constitutional Court handles constitutional law and international treaties.<ref name=":0" /> It was established by the constitution of 1991,<ref>{{Citation |last=Roa Roa |first=Jorge Ernesto |title=La independencia de la Corte Constitucional de Colombia y la Acción Pública de Constitucionalidad |date=July 2015 |issue=36 |editor-last=Acosta |editor-first=Paola Andrea |trans-title=The independence of the Constitutional Court of Colombia and the public action of constitutionality |url=https://www.academia.edu/25983295 |series=Working Papers |place=[[Bogotá]] |publisher=Department of Constitutional Law, [[Universidad Externado de Colombia]] |doi=10.13140/RG.2.1.1990.7687 |department=}}</ref> which reorganized the country's high courts.<ref name=":6">{{Cite journal |last=Nagle |first=Luz Estella |title=Evolution of the Colombian Judiciary and the Constitutional Court |url=https://mckinneylaw.iu.edu/practice/law-reviews/iiclr/pdf/vol6p59.pdf |journal=Notre Dame Journal of International & Comparative Law |volume=6 |issue=1}}</ref>

=== Superior Council of Judicature ===
{{main|Superior Council of Judicature}}

The Superior Council of Judicature handles jurisdictional conflicts and judicial administration; it is headed by a president.<ref name=":0" /> The council is composed of two chambers: the administrative chamber and the disciplinary jurisdictional chamber, made up of 6 and 7 judges respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wayback Machine |url=http://www.ramajudicial.gov.co/csj_portal/jsp/frames/index.jsp?idsitio=21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100710025005/http://www.ramajudicial.gov.co/csj_portal/jsp/frames/index.jsp?idsitio=21 |archive-date=2010-07-10 |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=www.ramajudicial.gov.co}}</ref> It is also the job of the superior council to submit lists of potential justices for the Supreme Court of Justice.<ref name=":6" />

=== Special jurisdictions ===
Military tribunals handle infractions by police and active military personnel according to the Military Penal Code.<ref name=":4" /> The National Electoral Council is a legal body which has final say on electoral issues. Due to the ongoing [[Colombian conflict]], special legal jurisdictions (the Special Jurisdiction for Peace and Judicial Chambers for Justice and Peace) have been created to try individuals for crimes committed during the conflict.<ref name=":4" />

== Subdivisions ==
Colombia is principally divided into 32 [[Departments of Colombia|departments]] and one [[Bogotá|capital district]].<ref name=":4" /> There are four other cities ([[Cartagena, Colombia|Cartagena]], [[Barranquilla]], [[Santa Marta]], and [[Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca|Buenaventura]]) which also have district status due to their national importance but remain within a department.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Procolombia |date=2024-10-15 |title=Territorial divisions colombia {{!}} Colombia Country Brand |url=https://colombia.co/en/trade-with-colombia/investment/how-the-colombian-state-is-composed |access-date=2025-07-15 |website=colombia.co |language=en}}</ref>

=== Departments ===
{{Main|Departments of Colombia}}
Each department has a governor and department assembly and are granted limited autonomy.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Information about departments of Colombia |url=https://www.colombiainfo.org/Colombia/Departments/tabid/89/Article/158/language/en-US/Information-about-departments-of-Colombia.aspx |access-date=2025-07-15 |website=ColombiaInfo.org - The Colombia Information Site! |language=en-US}}</ref> Departments are primarily composed of municipalities, of which there are 1123 in Colombia,<ref name=":1" /> each with a mayor and municipal council. Each department has its own department capital.<ref name=":5" />

The most recent changes to departments were made in the [[Colombian Constitution of 1991|1991 constitution]], which created the modern departments of [[Amazonas (Colombian department)|Amazonas]], [[Arauca Department|Arauca]], [[Casanare Department|Casanare]], [[Guainía Department|Guainía]], [[Guaviare Department|Guaviare]], [[Putumayo Department|Putumayo]], [[Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina|San Andrés y Providencia]], [[Vaupés Department|Vapués]], and [[Vichada Department|Vichada]] that were previously a part of the "[[National Territory (Colombia)|National Territory]]".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barragán |first=Eliana Paola |title=Territorios Nacionales: imágenes, representaciones o ideas |url=http://www.revistahistorik.com/vesti11.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222143521/http://www.revistahistorik.com/vesti11.html |archive-date=2015-12-22 |access-date=2025-07-16 |website=Revista HistoriK}}</ref> 

=== Capital District ===
The capital city of [[Bogotá]] has the same administrative status as a department. It is governed by the [[Superior Mayor of Bogotá]] and [[Bogotá City Council]]. The council is the supreme authority of the district, autonomous in administrative, budgetary and financial matters.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Organización del Distrito Capital |url=http://portel.bogota.gov.co/portel/libreria/php/x_frame_detalle.php?id=442 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304072342/http://portel.bogota.gov.co/portel/libreria/php/x_frame_detalle.php?id=442 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=5 January 2016 |publisher=bogota.gov.co |language=es}}</ref> While Bogotá is outside of Cundinamarca Department, it is the department's official capital.<ref name=":5" />
[[File:Territorios-Indigenas-Colombia.jpg|thumb|307x307px|Indigenous territories (r''esguardo indigena'') within Colombia, represented in orange]]

=== Indigenous territories ===
{{Main|Indigenous territory (Colombia)}}
Indigenous territories or indigenous reserves in Colombia are the "constitutional form through which the state recognizes and formalizes the collective ownership of [indigenous] peoples’ ancestral territories"; there are 846 territories recognized by law.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=The Indigenous World 2024: Colombia |url=https://iwgia.org/en/colombia/5380-iw-2024-colombia.html |access-date=2025-07-15 |website=International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs}}</ref> The territories total 35,608,579.2 hectares or 31% of the nation as of 2023 according to the National Land Agency.<ref name=":3" />

According to the 2018 census, 64% of the 1.9 million indigenous people of Colombia lived within these territories.<ref name=":3" />

The [[National Indigenous Territories Commission]] (CNTI) was created in 1996 through Decree 1397 to ensure full territorial rights to the indigenous people. It is composed of 10 delegates representing indigenous organizations within the territories who consult with and relay issues to the national government.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Partner - Forest Peoples Programme |url=https://www.forestpeoples.org/partners-countries/partners/partner/national-commission-on-indigenous-territories-cnti/ |access-date=2025-07-15 |website=www.forestpeoples.org}}</ref>

== Elections and voting ==
{{Main|Elections in Colombia}}

== Constitution ==
{{Main|Colombian Constitution of 1991}}

== Foreign relations ==
{{Main|Foreign relations of Colombia}}

== Issues ==

=== Corruption ===
{{Main|Corruption in Colombia}}

=== Trust ===
In 2022, 21% of Colombians reported their trust in the national government being high or moderately high, 22% reported high or moderately high trust in their local government, and 20% in civil service.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-29 |title=Government at a Glance 2023: Colombia |url=https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/government-at-a-glance-2023_c4200b14-en/colombia_c0f36114-en.html |access-date=2025-07-04 |website=[[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development]] |language=en}}</ref><!--Possible future sections:
== History ==
=== Pre-Columbian era ===
=== New Kingdom of Granada ===
=== Viceroyalty of New Granada ===
=== United Provinces of New Granada ===
=== Gran Colombia ===
=== Republic of New Granada ===
=== Granadine Confederation ===
=== United States of Colombia ===
=== Republic of Colombia ===
== Budget ==-->

== See also ==
* [[Mass media in Colombia]]
* [[Politics of Colombia]]
* [[Government entities of Colombia]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* [https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Colombia_2013?lang=en Colombian Constitution of 1991] (translated in to English)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080611021815/http://www.gobiernoenlinea.gov.co/home_ciudadanos.aspx Government of Colombia]{{in lang|es}}

{{Colombia topics}}
{{South America topic|Government of|title=Governments of South America}}

[[Category:Government of Colombia| ]]