The popular consultation convened on Wednesday by decree by the Colombian president, Gustavo Petroto seek the approval of its labor reform that was rejected in the Senate, it will take place on August 7, the day the president enters the last year of his government.

EFE

«Convene the people of Colombia to a popular consultation throughout the national territory so that, in the exercise of its sovereignty, on August seven (7), 2025 decides whether it approves or rejects the following national transcendence questions,» It indicates article 2 of the decree signed by the president.

Petro explained that the decree «will only be repealed before the polls if the points that are asked of the people to express their constituent order are positively answered by Congress.»

The call to a popular consultation has been one of Petro’s proposals to rescue his labor reform sunk by the Senate commission in March.

The president presented on May 1, worker’s day, the 12 questions that make up the consultation and that address issues such as the reduction of eight -hour workday, health licenses – including menstrual pains -, worthy wages for the field and the end of outsourcing, among others.

However, the possibility of making a popular consultation was also denied in May by the Plenary of the Senate, where the ruling party has no majority. Petro did not accept that decision, described it as «fraud» and accused the legislators of having trap. «

The announcement of convening the consultation by presidential decree has been strongly criticized in recent days by several political sectors, including former presidents and former ministers of Petro, who consider that it is an institutional rupture because the call is the responsibility of the Congress.

The dispute between government and opposition by labor reform and popular consultation has heated the spirits of the parties, which are recriminated in a growing polarization environment for the beginning of the process for the legislative and presidential elections of next year.

The climate worsened more since last Saturday Miguel Uribe Turbay, presidential candidate of the Uribista Democratic Center, was seriously injured in an attack and was debated between life and death, so there are many voices that asked Petro to abstain the decree on the popular consultation.

Despite the initial rejection of the labor reform and the popular consultation, the Senate now processed another project to reform labor laws that have already passed in the third debate in the Upper House.

After signing the call for the popular consultation in his office, Petro traveled to Cali where he is expected in a manifestation of workers in support precisely to that initiative.