How did the 1991 Colombian Constitution change presidential elections and voting rights?

The 1991 Constitution of Colombia introduced significant reforms to the nation's electoral processes and political rights.

Presidential Elections

Under the new constitution, the rules for electing the president were modified to ensure greater democratic legitimacy:
* Term Limits: Presidents were limited to a single term in office.12
* Majority Requirement: The president must be elected by an absolute majority. If no candidate achieves this in the first round, a second-round runoff election is held.12

Voting and Electoral Rights

The 1991 reforms expanded the mechanisms of political participation and restructured legislative representation:
* New Electoral Rights: The constitution instituted new democratic tools for citizens, including the rights of initiative and recall.12
* Legislative Representation: The Senate was transitioned to election by a national constituency. This change was designed to allow minority parties a greater opportunity to secure representation, theoretically enabling a party to elect a senator with as little as 1 percent of the vote.12

These changes were part of a broader effort to modernize the Colombian state and address the political instability of the era.12