Photo: ERNESTO BENAVIDES/AFP/Getty Images
The 2026 Peru general election is set against a backdrop of instability, polarization, and a fragmented field of candidates. When analyzed against the 2025 U.S. National Security Strategy, this election is a metric to determine whether Peru will build on its major non-NATO ally status and align as a U.S. partner nation to counter illicit economies, deter and control unwanted migration, promote hemispheric security, and, importantly, push back on China, or if it will devolve into even greater geopolitical contention. This piece focuses on the laundry list of electoral must-knows for electoral analysis. In addition, since security is the central voter concern, it provides an overview of security electoral proposals to tackle crime.
On Sunday, April 12, 2026, according to the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (RENIEC), more than 27.3 million Peruvian voters—13.1 million women and 12.3 million men—of which a quarter are between the ages of 18 and 29, will head to the polls. This year, the ballot measures an unprecedented 16.5 by 17.3 inches, “larger than an extra-large pizza box”—as it is often described. This official ballot is also a supersized menu of candidates to elect the next president, two vice presidents, five representatives to the Andean Parliament, 130 deputies, and 60 senators—30 from a national constituency and 30 from departmental constituencies—making this the first time in more than three decades that the country will operate under a bicameral legislature. The ballot is made up of five columns, each representing a distinct race. Electoral Law Article 261 states that voters have one minute to make a choice, and Article 262 calls for the use of an “X” or a check mark to select a candidate and avoid invalidating the vote. The first column is for the presidential ticket. Subsequently, voters can choose one or two candidates, through preferential or ranked-choice voting, when selecting national senators, regional senators, deputies, and Andean Parliament representatives. This ballot also contains 38 rows representing 35 political parties and three political party alliances. Finally, Article 20 requires political organizations to meet two thresholds to access the distribution of seats in their respective legislative bodies. First, the political organization must obtain 5 percent of valid votes nationwide, and they must get at least 5 percent of the seats—meaning, they must obtain at least seven deputies and three senators, respectively.
According to the National Jury of Elections (JNE), only 29 political organizations signed the voluntary Electoral Ethical Pact and agreed to respectful, transparent, and democratic behavior during the campaign. This pact is made up of 10 principles to encourage respecting the electoral rules and institutions, accepting official results, avoiding personal attacks, and promoting the responsible use of social media and artificial intelligence to prevent misinformation. The large number of candidates, originally 36 and now 35, presented logistical challenges. It required, for example, the JNE to schedule debates over six days, each day bringing together 12 candidates in groups of three, and focusing the questions on two themes: (1) citizen security and fight against corruption, and (2) economy, education, innovation, and technology. Debate rules require candidates to attend in person, and the leader of Free Peru (PL), Vladimir Cerrón, was excluded due to legal impediments.
Confirmed by the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE), the polling stations will open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and the massive deployment will include 92,720 polling stations distributed in 10,550 locations. Also, there are more than 1.2 million registered voters who can cast an out-of-country vote. Given the security situation in the Middle East, registered voters in Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia will not be able to participate. Also, local civil society organizations will perform electoral observation and quick count using verified totals from a sample of polling stations. In parallel, six international observation missions will be deployed on election day, including the Carter Center, the European Union, and the Organization of American States.
The most recent and final polling prior to the election was released April 5, when Peruvians were asked: “If the election were held tomorrow, which presidential candidate would you vote for?” Keiko Fujimori, Popular Force, is leading the polls while Carlos Álvarez, A Country for All (PPT), and Rafael López Aliaga, Popular Renewal, are nipping at her heels. Since it is highly improbable that a single candidate will reach 50 percent, a ballotage will likely take place on June 7, 2026.
In April 2021, the CSIS Americas Program interviewed the head of Peru’s ONPE. At the time, the most pressing national concern was ensuring citizens could cast their vote safely amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Today, the general election unfolds against political instability and voter disillusionment that furthers political fragmentation and deepens uncertainty about the electoral outcomes. A December 2025 Ipsos study revealed that the Peruvian electorate’s top concern is security and the effects of organized crime. It also brings attention to its impact on the business sector, connecting insecurity to increased costs due to, for example, violence and extortion demands. A post-debate brief called for comprehensive approaches beyond “mano dura”; differentiated responses, for example, to illegal mining, trafficking, and extortions and kidnappings; and ground-truthing security policy to ensure it is fundable, viable, and technically sound. Campaign platforms do not follow a consistent format; in that context, only highlights from the current frontrunners’ security proposals have been extracted and are shared below. These are not comprehensive.
While the electoral administration ecosystem has mobilized to promote voter education, put in place ethical commitments to safeguard transparency and a respectful playing field, and ensure equitable media access, this general election will not yield a first-round winner and points toward a June 7 ballotage. The next president will face the challenge of translating very ambitious electoral platforms into tangible results in security improvement, government integrity, and improved business climate—all of which are necessary to promote investment, economic prosperity, and sustainable development. Without a doubt, the electoral outcome will shape Peru’s future and the regional landscape. Still, in this context, Peru’s insecurity and political environment may very well be an opportunity for U.S. influence in a regional spot where Chinese investment in port infrastructure and energy projects has intensified geopolitical competition in the Western Hemisphere.
Margarita R. Seminario is a senior associate (non-resident) with the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.
