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Constitutional Assembly elections were held in Colombia on 9 December 1990 alongside a referendum on the Assembly itself.[1][2] The Assembly sat from February to July 1991 and drew up the 1991 constitution.
After the murder of presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galán in August 1989, students started a movement calling for a referendum "for peace and democracy" to be held on 21 January 1990.[3] However, under pressure from drug cartels, the government rejected the proposal. The students then set up the "We can still save Colombia" movement, which called for a referendum alongside the general elections on 11 March 1990 on establishing a Constitutional Assembly. The referendum saw 2,235,493 voted in favour and 117,000 vote against.[3]
Following the unofficial referendum, President Virgilio Barco Vargas issued decree 927 on 3 May calling a referendum on electing a Constitutional Assembly alongside the presidential elections on 27 May.[4] Although this was in violation of article 218 of the constitution, which gave Congress sole rights to reform the constitution, the referendum was approved by the Supreme Court.[4]
After 95% of voters approved of the election of the Assembly, elections were set for December. However, new President César Gaviria chose to reinforce the legitimacy of the Assembly by holding a second referendum on its election.[5] Only those who voted "yes" in the referendum could then cast a vote for the Assembly.[4]
The Assembly was elected by proportional representation in a single nationwide constituency.[6]
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colombian Liberal Party | 1,070,193 | 29.03 | 24 | |
| 19th of April Movement | 992,613 | 26.93 | 19 | |
| National Salvation Movement | 574,411 | 15.58 | 11 | |
| Colombian Conservative Party | 423,775 | 11.50 | 9 | |
| Christian Union Movement | 115,201 | 3.13 | 2 | |
| Patriotic Union | 95,088 | 2.58 | 2 | |
| United Student Movement | 64,711 | 1.76 | 1 | |
| National Indigenous Organization of Colombia | 31,783 | 0.86 | 1 | |
| Movement for a New Country for the Children | 24,625 | 0.67 | 1 | |
| Indigenous Authorities of Colombia | 22,443 | 0.61 | 1 | |
| Metapolitical Unitary Movement | 20,225 | 0.55 | 0 | |
| Socialist Workers' Party | 5,153 | 0.14 | 0 | |
| Independents | 208,134 | 5.65 | 0 | |
| Blank votes | 37,735 | 1.02 | – | |
| Reserved seats for guerrilla groups | 4 | |||
| Total | 3,686,090 | 100.00 | 75 | |
| Valid votes | 3,686,090 | 99.34 | ||
| Invalid votes | 24,467 | 0.66 | ||
| Total votes | 3,710,557 | 100.00 | ||
| Registered voters/turnout | 14,237,110 | 26.06 | ||
| Source: Nohlen | ||||
Following the elections, four seats were given to guerrilla groups; two to the Popular Liberation Army, one to the Movimiento Armado Quintin Lame and one to the Workers Revolutionary Party.[7]
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| For | 2,988,963 | 97.58 |
| Against | 74,055 | 2.42 |
| Invalid/blank votes | – | |
| Total | 3,710,557 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 14,237,110 | 26.06 |
| Source: Direct Democracy | ||
