Peru Elections Mark Sharp Divisions and Possible Change

President Vizcarra disbanded Congress last year. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Peru held congressional elections last Sunday, January 26 after President Martin Vizcarra dissolved the Congress of the Republic in September as part of an anti-corruption campaign. This follows on the heels of the Odebrecht scandal, which disgraced four of Peru’s previous presidents, alongside other political elites. The newly elected congressmen would fill the 130 seats that were vacated after Vizcarra’s bold move, representing 26 districts for the rest of the 2016-2021 term. 

Vizcarra received widespread support for his action after a statement citing resistance from the controlling opposition party to his anti-corruption agenda as his motive. His approval rating jumped to nearly 80% in the following month. Protests also ended relatively quickly in the aftermath, suggesting that Vizcarra’s actions could actually have prevented another wave of rioting and violence.

The preliminary results show that votes are split among 21 political parties, none of which have received more than 15 percent of the total. The lacking support for any particular body and sharp divisions in the demographic will likely result in a large coalition.

This also highlights the opposition party’s dramatic fall from grace. Before the dissolution, the right-wing Popular Force party had held the majority with 73 out of 130 seats. In the ensuing election, it is projected to hold less than 20 seats. This paves the way for a coalition of centrist parties to dominate the new Congress, which could be good news for Vizcarra, since it might break the impasse that blocked reform with the previous Congress.

The elections also provide an outlet for the public to express their dissatisfaction with the government after the graft scandals. One in three voters indicated that they would submit blank ballots. Experts fear that this would result in a vicious cycle of civic non-participation, corrupt officials, and continuing public disenchantment, which may eventually lead to violent protest despite the present possibility of sweeping reform.