Peruvian residents in Spain arrive to the Auditorium in Palma, Majorca, to vote in June 2021 for the second round of the Presidential elections in Peru. File Photo by Cati Cladera/EPA
The close of the registration deadline for electoral alliances has confirmed an unprecedented scenario for Peru’s 2026 general elections: 34 parties will compete independently, while 11 others have formed four alliances — bringing the total to at least 38 candidate lists on the ballot.
These lists each represent a group of congressional candidates submitted by a party or alliance.
The figure is unmatched since Peru’s return to democracy in the early 2000s and has revived concerns about a fragmented legislature, lacking clearly defined political leaders and dominated by parties with limited representation.
The result could complicate efforts to form stable majorities needed to pass legislation, appoint officials or support the executive branch.
Peru’s next general elections are officially scheduled for April 12. Voters will elect a president and vice president, members of a bicameral Congress (Senate and Chamber of Deputies) and representatives to the Andean Parliament for the 2026-2031 term.
Peru’s National Jury of Elections, or JNE, announced Saturday that the total number of qualified political groups remains well above historical averages. In past elections, between 15 and 20 candidate lists typically appeared on the ballot.
Experts say this reflects a broader crisis of political representation, along with permissive rules that allow new parties to form without requiring grassroots support or coherent platforms.
The situation is particularly fragile given that, in the 2021 elections, Peru’s unicameral Congress was divided among 10 political blocs. At the time, only three parties won more than 10% of the vote, leading to legislative gridlock, frequent cabinet turnover and growing public disillusionment with democratic institutions.
Now, with the return to a bicameral system in 2026, that fragmentation could extend to both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, making it even harder to form stable coalitions.
According to the JNE, many of the candidate lists appearing for the first time come from newly registered parties or groups reactivated by court order. Others have emerged from political splits or personal initiatives with little prior history.
Most of these groups poll below 5% nationally, suggesting a highly fragmented vote and making it harder to consolidate leadership with a strong parliamentary base.
In response, some parties have formed alliances aimed at clearing the electoral threshold. But critics argue those coalitions are driven more by tactical interests than shared platforms, and may fall apart after the election.
The JNE has warned of the need for reform to curb the indiscriminate registration of political parties and strengthen internal democratic processes.
Although 34 parties and four alliances have been cleared to take part in the elections, their final appearance on the ballot will depend on meeting a series of legal and technical requirements over the next nine months.
