Left and center parties ally to lead Peru's Senate against right-wing bloc

Four center and left-wing parties in Peru have forged an alliance to lead the Senate, seeking to overcome the proposed candidates from the right-wing Fuerza Popular and ultranationalist Renovación Popular parties. The election for the Senate's leadership is scheduled for Sunday.

The alliance, named 'Consenso por la Democracia' (Consensus for Democracy), unites Juntos por el Perú, Partido del Buen Gobierno, Obras, and Ahora Nación. They aim to counter the influence of Fuerza Popular, whose leader Keiko Fujimori will be inaugurated as president on July 28.

Both proposed slates are mathematically tied, with Fuerza Popular and Renovación Popular together holding 30 seats, matching the combined 30 seats of the four allied parties. The vote, which is secret, could become complicated if neither list secures a majority in the first or second rounds, as the Senate's regulations do not specify a procedure for such an outcome.

Peru has reintroduced a bicameral parliament, comprising a Senate and a Chamber of Deputies, after more than 34 years. This marks a significant shift from the unicameral Congress that has been in place for nearly a quarter-century and has been a focal point of political instability, with eight presidents in the last decade. The 60 senators and 130 deputies elected in April were sworn in on Friday for the 2026-2031 term.