This article is adapted from AQ’s special report on millennials in politics. Click here for the full list of countries.
March’s legislative elections brought more newcomers to national politics; according to La Silla Vacía, two out of five members of Congress are not career politicians. A bill presented in July would allow more young people to join Congress by lowering the age of eligibility to run for the lower house from 25 to 18, and in the Senate from 30 to 25.
31.2
N/A
25
26
Francia Márquez
VICE PRESIDENT, 40
An internationally renowned environment activist and social leader, Márquez is the first Afro-Colombian vice president. Prior to joining President Gustavo Petro’s ticket, she received the third-highest number of votes of any candidate in the March primaries, behind only Petro and Federico Gutiérrez. Márquez will lead a future Ministry of Equality and has stated that she will promote social, racial, gender and economic justice, as well as confront the climate crisis.
David Racero
PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 36
Racero is a member of the Pacto Histórico and a longstanding Petro ally. He entered politics as the youth coordinator for two of Petro’s campaigns and ran youth programs in Bogotá while Petro was mayor from 2012 to 2015. Racero has said he seeks to “lead the big transformations that young people want,” and his priorities include pension, health and education reform and eliminating the police anti-riot squad.
Miguel Uribe Turbay
SENATOR, 36
Former President Álvaro Uribe (no relation) chose Miguel Uribe Turbay to head the right-wing Centro Democrático party’s 2022 Senate list. Uribe Turbay received the most Senate votes in Bogotá this year, campaigning on promoting private eNterprise and improving public safety. He has been a critic of Petro since they were both in the Bogotá government (Uribe Turbay joined the capital’s city council at age 25), and stands to be a vocal member of the opposition.
Note: Ages rounded to one decimal place. Data as of October 2022.
Sources: U.N. Population, Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile, Radio Nacional Colombia
Photos: Márquez/fmm.vicepresidencia.gov.co; Racero/camara.gov.co; Turbay/migueluribeturbay.com.co
