Election in Peru: understand the reason for so much instability in Peruvian politics

Peru elects new president amid deep political crisis Voters in Peru go to the polls this Sunday (12) to choose the future president in an election with a record number of 35 candidates and a dispersion of voting intentions. The fragmented scenario is a reflection of a political system that, in recent years, has fueled instability in the country. Peru has a peculiar system, which is neither presidential nor parliamentary. It’s a bizarre mix. When a president has a parliamentary majority, problems do not occur, as was the case between 2000 and 2016 with Alejandro Toledo, Ollanta Humala and Alan García. They all had a parliamentary majority. And that’s why they governed calmly. However, between 2015 and 2016, several corruption scandals began to emerge that affected major political parties. In those years, former presidents Toledo, Humala and García were accused of corruption in the Peruvian edition of the Odebrecht case. Toledo fled the country for the United States. He was later extradited, tried in Lima and is now in prison; Humala is in prison; and Alan Garcia, when the police arrived to detain him, chose to commit suicide. In 2016, amid the crisis of political parties, the presidency passed to Pedro Pablo Kuczinzky, who was elected without a parliamentary majority. It was at this moment that the fragmentation that still plagues the country began. In 2018, Kuczsinzky was ousted in a scandal that also shook the main opposition party, the Fujimori family. His deputy took office, but was later removed. Election in Peru: Peruvians go to the polls in a dispute with a record number of candidates This generated an immense weakening of the presidents in the eyes of the Legislative Branch. Parliament has become accustomed to overthrowing presidents, as impeachment procedures are fast. In 2021, Pedro Castillo was elected, with a minority party in Parliament. A year later Castillo attempted a self-coup d’état. But he failed and was dismissed and arrested. His deputy, Dina Boluarte, took office. But without any parliamentarian to support her, Boluarte was removed from office last year. José Jerí then took over, who lasted 4 months in office, and now José María Balcázar governs on an interim basis. Nothing on the political horizon indicates that this instability will end. It only tends to remain with these Sunday elections. Political advertising in Lima, Peru on April 8, 2026; country goes to the polls this Sunday (12) to choose the presidential candidate REUTERS/Angela Ponce

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