An unprecedented deluge of candidates has broken out for Peru's presidential election to be held in Apr. next year. According to figures released on the 24th (local time) by Peru's election authorities, a record 34 candidates have registered for the race. Comedians, soccer players and even fugitives put their names forward. Experts say this is the result of a fluke in which, with no candidate commanding overwhelming support, a vote share of around 10% can be enough to reach a runoff.
The figure of 34 candidates released that day by Peru's election authorities is nearly double the 18 who ran in the previous 2021 election. A Peruvian presidential term is five years, and reelection is not allowed. Among those who completed registration are hardline conservatives, a Marxist fugitive and TV stars. The final list will be confirmed on Mar. 14 next year after an objection process. Given the current mood, a record-setting multi-candidate field appears inevitable in this election.
The surge in candidates stems from deeply rooted distrust in politics. Reuters pointed to political volatility and distrust as the key words defining Peru's political scene. In Peru, it has become routine over the past decade for presidents to fail to complete their terms. When President Dina Boluarte was removed in Oct. this year, Peru earned the dishonor of having had seven presidents in nine years. Former President Boluarte saw her approval rating plunge to 3% just before leaving office, earning the label of the world's least popular leader. Even former President Ollanta Humala, the most recent leader to serve out a full term, was sentenced last year to 15 years in prison on money laundering charges after leaving office, hardening voters' perception in Peru that "politicians do not end well."
Public anger directed at the entire political class has reached a dangerous level. According to data released this month by pollster Ipsos, 48% of Peruvian voters—nearly half—said they "have no preferred candidate (in the presidential election) or will cast a spoiled ballot." In a Peru Institute (IEP) survey, as many as 63% said they have no preferred candidate. Opposition to Congress is as high as 89%, leaving representative politics across both the legislative and executive branches effectively missing. The Peru Institute said in a report, "With six months to go before the presidential election, the target of political distrust has expanded beyond specific figures to the entire system of national governance."
Public-safety anxiety threatening everyday life has also fueled political disgust. The number of homicides in Peru has exceeded 550 per quarter since mid-2024, a sharp increase from the early endemic period in 2022 (350 cases). In particular, as organized crime and extortion have become routine in rural areas far from administrative capacity, public safety has emerged as the biggest swing factor in this election. In a report this year, Human Rights Watch (HRW) criticized that "organized crime is spreading in Peru, but the legislature is neglecting or abetting it."
Political distrust has produced the abnormal outcome of a glut of candidates. Peruvian politics lacks strong ideological parties and features a hyper-multiparty structure in which personal, election-only platforms are rampant. As 96% of voters oppose the running of state affairs, mainstream politics has lost credibility, and well-known figures in Peru have flocked to fill the vacuum.
The lineup of 34 scattered candidates lays bare the fragmentation of Peruvian politics. Rafael López Aliaga, the former Lima mayor who leads in support, is only at the 10%–12% range. The former mayor, a hard-right figure, is calling for stronger public safety nationwide. Keiko Fujimori, making her fourth run for the presidency, follows with 7%–8% support. The daughter of former President Fujimori has a solid base, but faces equally strong nationwide antipathy.
Unexpected celebrities have joined the race, adding to the confusion. Popular political-satire comedian Carlos Álvarez and former Peru national team goalkeeper George Forsyth are shaking up the race on name recognition alone. Even Vladimir Cerrón, the leader of a Marxist party wanted on corruption charges, and Mario Vizcarra, the brother of former President Martín Vizcarra who is incarcerated, have entered the race. In Peru, individuals who are wanted or serving sentences can attempt to register as presidential candidates. However, the National Jury of Elections decides the final list after considering eligibility requirements and legal disqualifications. Ipsos said, "A significant portion of Mario Vizcarra's support is likely the choice of voters who confused him with the former president."
Harvard University professor Steven Levitsky defined Peru as "an extreme case of democracy without parties." He explained that parties organized around ideology and policy have disappeared, and a structure has taken hold in which individuals borrow election platforms to run.
Examples of the collapse of mainstream politics leading to a glut of candidates can be found abroad as well. In Ukraine's 2019 presidential election, 39 candidates, including comedian-turned-politician Zelenskyy, crowded the field amid distrust of the political establishment. Zelenskyy won the election with the slogan "We will clean up the political establishment."
Political experts predicted that next year's Peruvian election is unlikely to produce an overwhelming winner in the first round and is highly likely to go to a runoff. Depending on wild-card issues such as public safety or the economy, the finalists can change rapidly. This also drives candidates to choose survival of the fittest over policy alliances. The fact that there are many candidates does not necessarily mean more choices. Some point to the limits of Peruvian politics in the absence of new alternatives, noting that, amid high political distrust, established politicians like Fujimori still hold second place.
Gloria Cano, secretary-general of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), said, "Peru is now in an endless democratic crisis," and stressed, "The new leadership must restore judicial independence and make public safety the top priority."