Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced plans to hold a special election, or “popular consultation,” to allow voters to decide on stalled health and labour reforms.
We have searched in our constitution for a path that will enable people to make decisions without intermediaries. Now the people must decide if they want to be slaves, or if they want to be free and respectable.
The move comes after months of legislative gridlock, with Petro accusing the senate of siding with the nation’s “oligarchy” and blocking his efforts to overhaul Colombia’s labour laws and healthcare system.
Petro’s reforms include eliminating private insurance companies that manage social security payments and replacing them with a government agency to administer healthcare funds. He accused insurance companies of mismanaging millions of dollars, but critics argue the reform would centralise too much power and overwhelm the government’s capacity.
The reforms also include increasing pay for night workers and restricting the use of short-term contracts to improve job security. However, Petro lacks a majority in Colombia’s congress, making it difficult to pass his reform programme.
Earlier on Tuesday, a group of eight senators announced they would reject the health reforms in a crucial committee vote, further stalling the legislation.
If successful, the consultation could bypass legislative gridlock and give Petro a direct mandate from the people to implement his reforms. However, failure to secure approval or achieve the required turnout could further weaken Petro’s political standing and highlight the limitations of his administration’s ability to enact change.
