"In accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and the Electoral Law, the President of the Republic signed the Decree setting the presidential elections for Sunday, 18 January 2026, which was sent for publication in the Official Gazette," reads a note published on the Presidency of the Republic's website.

The Head of State had confirmed in mid-September that he was inclined to schedule the presidential elections for this date, saying he wanted to avoid the deadline for submitting candidacies coinciding with Christmas and a possible second round falling on Carnival Sunday.

With the presidential elections scheduled for January 18, a possible second round, which by law must take place three weeks later, will fall on 8 February.

The Electoral Law of the President of the Republic establishes that the head of state "will set the date for the first election for the Presidency of the Republic at least 60 days in advance."

A possible second election, if none of the candidates obtains "more than half of the validly expressed votes, not considering blank votes as such," will take place "on the twenty-first day after the first" between the two candidates with the most votes.