Peru: President meets with right-wing parties to seal alliance for new elections.

Opera Mundi - Peruvian President Dina Boluarte has met in recent days with the leaders of the two largest blocs in Congress, both right-wing, with the aim of sealing an alliance that will guarantee the approval of the latest bill capable of bringing forward the next presidential elections to a date still in 2023.

The meetings took place at the Pizarro Palace, the seat of the Peruvian Executive Branch, in Lima. First, the president received the leader of the Popular Force party, Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former dictator Alberto Fujimori, on Wednesday evening (February 15). On Thursday morning (February 16), it was César Acuña's turn, from the ultraliberal Alliance for the Country (APP) party.

According to the newspaper The RepublicBoluarte intends to seal an agreement with different political groups to try to get the government's plan approved, which foresees general elections in the country in October 2023, with a possible second round in November, but without holding a referendum to convene a constituent assembly.

The project is stalled in Congress, and the initiative to resume its discussion requires a simple majority, that is, 66 votes in favor out of a total of 130. This vote should take place tomorrow, as the government has reportedly secured the support of both right-wing parties.

The problem will be getting the proposal itself approved, which, being a constitutional reform, requires a two-thirds quorum, that is, 87 favorable votes. This government project is the fourth that attempts to bring forward an election that is scheduled to take place in April 2026. All initiatives have failed so far – some didn't even reach a simple majority.

The Peruvian press has not reported whether Boluarte intends to also meet with representatives of leftist parties, such as Peru Libre (the president's former party) and Juntos por el Perú, which have been decisive in preventing the approval of previous projects, as they demand that a constituent referendum be included in the first round of the hypothetical 2023 elections.

Since the beginning of the political crisis in Peru – following the removal of former president Pedro Castillo on December 7, 2022 – the country has seen numerous large demonstrations in various cities, in which social organizations reject Boluarte's authority, demand early elections, and call for a constituent referendum.

It is worth remembering that the current Peruvian constitution, rejected by the majority of the population, was imposed in 1993 by the then dictator Fujimori, Keiko's father and founder of the Popular Force party, which holds the largest bloc in Congress and refuses to approve any initiative that jeopardizes the legacy of its former leader.