Peru election race enters final stretch
Fragmented field leaves voters uncertain
Peru’s presidential campaign has reached its final phase with an unusually fragmented field and high voter uncertainty ahead of the first-round ballot. No contender tops roughly 12% in polls, many voters remain undecided or inclined to cast blank or null ballots, and the ballot paper has swollen to accommodate 36 presidential tickets from 37 political organizations. Campaign billboards populate highways and city streets as candidates scramble for recognition in a race described by electoral officials as unprecedented in scale.
Polling cited by observers placed Rafael López Aliaga and Keiko Fujimori among the top-ranked candidates with only low double‑digit support, while several rivals cluster closely behind in a tight scramble for a probable runoff spot. Voters interviewed said the crowded ballot has been confusing and that many do not find the available choices suitable, reflecting deep public disaffection.
Analysts link the fragmentation to a decade of institutional weakness, corruption scandals and frequent leadership turnover that have eroded public trust. Peru has had eight presidents since 2016, and Congress has removed four presidents in recent years using a vaguely defined constitutional clause of “permanent moral incapacity,” which requires only a simple majority and has often been invoked amid corruption allegations or undisclosed meetings. Critics warn that continued congressional dominance over the executive risks producing weak presidents who depend on shifting legislative blocs, perpetuating instability.
Campaigns emphasize economic growth, public security and social inequality, but analysts say the crowded field could split votes and make coalition dynamics decisive. Late shifts in voter sentiment, turnout rates and endorsements or withdrawals are expected to shape who reaches a likely second round. Observers say the election will be a crucial test of whether Peru can break from a cycle of political turbulence and restore stable governance and public confidence, or remain mired in recurring institutional crises.
