Peru Reinstates Bicameral Parliament After 34 Years

Peru has officially returned to a bicameral parliamentary system, with a Senate and a Chamber of Deputies, for the first time in over 34 years. This move marks a significant shift from the unicameral Congress that has characterized the country for nearly a quarter-century and was often cited as a focal point of political instability, contributing to eight different presidents in the last decade.

The 60 senators and 130 deputies elected in the April 12-13 elections were sworn in on Friday, July 24, 2026. Right-wing politician Keiko Fujimori is set to be inaugurated as the president of the Senate on July 28, Peru's national day, for the 2026-2031 term. The Senate is expected to consolidate legislative power, with the ability to amend bills passed by the Chamber of Deputies.

The return to a bicameral system is a reversal of a 2018 referendum outcome, where over 90% of voters rejected a proposal for bicameralism. However, the outgoing unicameral Congress managed to garner sufficient consensus two years ago to reform the Constitution and re-establish two chambers without requiring a new referendum, given the legislature's low public approval rating of less than 5%.

The composition of the new Senate is currently divided, with 30 senators aligned with right-wing parties and 30 with center and left-wing parties. Fuerza Popular, Fujimori's party, holds the largest representation with 22 senators, followed by Renovación Popular with 8. On the center-left, an alliance including Juntos por el Perú has secured 14 senators. The distribution of power in the Chamber of Deputies also reflects a complex political landscape, making it challenging for any single bloc to dominate.