Chamber:
	Senado de la República
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	11 March 1990
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament on the normal expiry of the members’ term of office.
Background and outcome of elections:
	The 1990 congressional elections were held simultaneously with polling for local officials and selection of the ruling Liberal Party (PL) candidate for the presidential election of 27 May. The campaign was peppered by violence, with numerous politicians being killed and disruptions caused by leftist guerrilla groups and right-wing paramilitary forces often linked to the country’s notorious drug traffickers. On 9 March (two days before the poll), the left-wing guerrilla April 10 Movement (M-19) concluded a peace treaty with the Government; M-19 then contested the elections as a political party. On polling day, the PL recorded significant gains in both Houses of Congress, capturing 72 Senate seats to 41 for the main opposition Social Conservative Party and some 60% of the 199 Representatives' seats. The PL presidential primary was won by Mr. César Gaviria Trujillo, who subsequently won the election on 27 May. The same day, a popular referendum on constitutional reform took place.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (11 March 1990): Elections results
Voters	14,000,000 (approx.)

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total
Liberal Party (PL)	72
Social Conservative Party	41
Patriotic Union (UP)	1