Peruvian Presidential Election Heads to Runoff

Keiko Fujimori and Roberto Sánchez will face off on June 7 after no candidate secured a majority in the first round.

First Round Results

The National Elections Board confirmed Sunday that the first round of presidential elections, held in early April, produced the following official results:

• Keiko Fujimori (Fuerza Popular): 2.8 million votes (17.19%)
• Roberto Sánchez (Juntos por el Perú): 2.015 million votes (12.03%)

No candidate received more than 50% of valid votes, triggering a second round. Over 70% of voters chose neither of the two leading candidates.

Runoff Election

The second round between Fujimori and Sánchez is scheduled for June 7. Both candidates will need to form coalitions to win.

Voting Process and Delays

Voting is mandatory for Peruvians aged 18 to 70, with fines for non-compliance. More than 27 million people were registered to vote, including approximately 1.2 million living abroad, primarily in the United States and Argentina.

Due to logistical issues, electoral authorities granted a one-day voting extension for over 52,000 people. The extension applied to residents of Lima and Peruvians registered to vote in Orlando, Florida, and Paterson, New Jersey.

Candidate Information

Keiko Fujimori

• Conservative former congresswoman and daughter of the late President Alberto Fujimori
• Running for president for the fourth time
• Previously reached runoff elections in 2011, 2016, and 2021
• Proposed measures: Making judges in criminal cases anonymous; requiring prisoners to work to earn their food

Roberto Sánchez

• Member of the Juntos por el Perú party
• Former foreign trade minister under President Pedro Castillo

Other Notable Candidates

• Rafael López Aliaga: Conservative former mayor of Lima. Proposed building prisons in the Amazon, allowing judges to conceal their identities, and expelling foreigners living illegally in Peru.
• Carlos Álvarez: Comedian-turned-politician. Stated he would consult with leaders from El Salvador, Denmark, and Singapore on security matters.
• Ricardo Belmont: 80-year-old conservative former mayor of Lima.
• Thirty-five candidates were on the ballot, a record number.

Legislative Changes: Return to Bicameral Congress

Voters also elected a bicameral Congress for the first time in over 30 years, following legislative reforms. The new Senate will have 60 members.

Key changes to the government structure:

• The Senate will appoint and sanction high-ranking officials, including the ombudsman and constitutional court members
• The Senate will review bills from the lower chamber
• Impeaching the president will require approval from 40 of 60 senators, lower than the previous unicameral system requirement of 87 of 130 lawmakers

The return to a bicameral system occurred despite 80% of voters rejecting it in a 2018 referendum. Lawmakers amended the constitution in 2024 to enable the change.

Context and Background

Political Instability

Peru has experienced significant instability, with nine presidents in approximately as many years. Only one president has completed a full term in the past decade. Nearly all recent presidents have been imprisoned or involved in criminal investigations, primarily related to corruption.

The current congress has a public disapproval rating near 90%, according to polls.

Crime and Security

A primary concern for voters was a surge in violent crime. Official data indicates:

• Homicides have doubled this decade
• Extortion cases have increased fivefold this decade
• More than 200 public transportation drivers were killed in 2025
• A 2025 national survey found 84% of respondents in urban areas feared becoming victims of crime

Many candidates proposed measures to address crime, including building new prisons, restricting food for inmates, and reinstating the death penalty for serious crimes.

Economic Conditions

According to the World Food Programme, the percentage of Peruvians experiencing food insecurity increased from 25% before the pandemic to 51% at the time of the report.

Protests

Between 2022 and 2023, protests in Peru resulted in 50 deaths.

Voter Sentiment

"You can't trust anyone anymore, nothing's going to change." — Juan Gómez, 53-year-old construction worker

Polls indicated many Peruvians preferred candidates without links to the current congress. Some voters expressed frustration and a lack of trust in political candidates.

Heidy Justiniano, a 33-year-old nurse, stated that safety was her primary concern and expressed skepticism about politicians keeping their promises. Raúl Zevallos, a 63-year-old retiree, expressed fear about using public transportation.

Fernando Tuesta, a political scientist at Peru's Pontifical Catholic University, stated: "We have voters who are frustrated. We have voters who are tired. We have voters who are apathetic." He described many voters as skeptical and approaching the electoral process without enthusiasm.

Expert Commentary

Alejandro Boyco, a researcher at the Institute of Peruvian Studies, stated regarding the new Senate: "They've concentrated too much power in a 60-people chamber. They are not going to be immune to being corrupt."

Samuel Rotta of the anti-corruption group Acción Cívica stated that citizen disgust with the political class is based on a perception that high-level corruption has fueled instability and allowed organized crime to flourish.