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| Peruvian general election, 2021 | |
|---|---|
| Election name | Peruvian general election, 2021 |
| Country | Peru |
| Type | presidential and congressional |
| Previous election | 2016 Peruvian general election |
| Previous year | 2016 |
| Next election | 2026 Peruvian general election |
| Next year | 2026 |
| Election date | 11 April 2021 (first round); 6 June 2021 (second round) |
Peruvian general election, 2021 The 2021 Peruvian general election elected the President and members of the Congress of the Republic of Peru and regional representatives, producing a runoff that culminated amid intense political polarization. The contest featured a fragmented field including establishment figures, populist outsiders, and candidates linked to historical movements, provoking nationwide demonstrations and institutional disputes.
The election followed the impeachment and resignation crises that involved Martín Vizcarra, the Congress of the Republic of Peru, and caretaker administrations under Manuel Merino and Francisco Sagasti. Political turbulence had roots in the Fujimorism era associated with Alberto Fujimori and the influence of parties such as Popular Force (Peru), along with corruption investigations by the Peruvian judiciary into politicians like Ollanta Humala and Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. Economic debates referenced the legacy of the Alan García presidencies and macroeconomic policies tied to institutions such as the Central Reserve Bank of Peru and regional bodies like the Andean Community.
Presidential elections used a two-round system established by the Constitution of Peru, with the first round open to multiple candidates and a runoff required if no contender obtained an absolute majority. Congressional seats were allocated by proportional representation across multi-member constituencies corresponding to provinces and regions such as Lima Region, Cusco Region, and Piura Region under laws enacted by the Jurado Nacional de Elecciones. Ballot administration involved agencies including the Oficina Nacional de Procesos Electorales and scrutiny by entities like the OAS and observer missions from the European Union.
The ballot included a spectrum of parties and figures: the leftist coalition Free Peru (Perú Libre) led by Vladimir Cerrón as ideologue with candidate Pedro Castillo; the centrist Perú Patria Segura and its regional lists; the conservative Popular Force with members aligned to Keiko Fujimori; neoliberal and technocratic candidacies tied to leaders like Rafael López Aliaga and Hernando de Soto; the progressive Juntos por el Perú coalition with links to Verónika Mendoza; and independent or emergent lists such as Go on Country and Contigo. Other notable figures on ballots included Yonhy Lescano, Marco Arana, George Forsyth, and Julio Guzmán, representing parties such as Acción Popular, Frente Amplio, Victoria Nacional, and Partido Morado respectively.
Campaign debates concentrated on anti-corruption narratives referencing investigations into leaders like Alejandro Toledo and Keiko Fujimori, and constitutional reforms invoking comparisons to the 1993 Constitution of Peru. Economic policy discussions invoked ties to the International Monetary Fund, trade agreements with China and the United States, and mining controversies in regions like Puno and La Oroya. Social policy flashpoints involved indigenous rights in the Amazon rainforest, environmental disputes around companies such as Southern Copper Corporation and Newmont Corporation, and public health management amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Peru with scrutiny of figures like Óscar Ugarte and institutions such as the Ministry of Health (Peru).
Polling firms including Instituto de Opinión Pública branches, university surveys like those from Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and University of Lima, and private organizations such as Datum Internacional and Ipsos Perú produced fluctuating forecasts. Early polls suggested fragmentation with leaders like Keiko Fujimori, Pedro Castillo, and Rafael López Aliaga variably leading; later survey volatility reflected scandals, televised debates involving moderators associated with outlets such as Americatv and Panamericana Televisión, and shifts after contagion spikes tracked by the National Institute of Health (Peru).
The first round on 11 April produced no outright winner, with contenders Pedro Castillo of Free Peru and Keiko Fujimori of Popular Force advancing to a runoff on 6 June. Congressional results fragmented representation across parties including Alianza para el Progreso (Peru), Acción Popular, Partido Morado, and regional lists, altering the balance in the Congress of the Republic of Peru. The runoff outcome declared Pedro Castillo as president-elect by a narrow margin after vote counts managed by the Jurado Nacional de Elecciones and the National Office of Electoral Processes, amid contested tallies and legal challenges brought before the Special Electoral Jury and the Supreme Court of Peru.
Post-election, tensions persisted between the executive branch and factions within the Congress of the Republic of Peru, prompting motions, protests in plazas such as Plaza San Martín and Plaza Mayor (Lima), and international reactions from governments including United States and organizations like the Organization of American States. The presidency of Pedro Castillo faced legislative obstruction, cabinet turnovers with ministers drawn from backgrounds linked to universities such as Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos and union leaders from the Central Reserve Bank of Peru debates, while opposition forces allied with Fujimorism and parties like Acción Popular mobilized legal strategies. The election reshaped debates on constitutional reform, indigenous political participation in the Amazon rainforest, and Peru's position in regional blocs such as the Pacific Alliance and the Union of South American Nations.
Category:Elections in Peru