Voters in Peru face the longest ballot in the country's history. Millions are choosing from 35 presidential hopefuls.

Ballot chaos and a crowded field

About 27 million Peruvians are eligible to vote this Sunday, and they will mark a ballot sheet almost half a metre long. It's the largest presidential lineup the country has ever seen — 35 names for the top job alongside contenders for a newly bicameral congress. The sheer number of options underlines how fragmented Peruvian politics has become.

The vote is happening amid a backdrop that few voters find reassuring.

Peru has cycled through nine presidents in the past decade. That churn has come with rising violent crime, flagging trust in institutions and a string of corruption scandals. Political corruption isn't an abstract charge here: four former presidents are currently in prison, many of them linked to bribery cases tied to the Brazilian construction group Odebrecht. Crime and corruption top the list of concerns for many voters; polls show homicide and extortion rates at record highs, and that fear is clearly shaping campaign messages.

The crowded field has kept support thin. No candidate is polling above 15%, making a second-round ballot on 7 June almost certain, according to Urpi Torrado of the polling firm Datum Internacional. "This is one of the most unpredictable elections on record," Torrado said, cautioning that surprises remain possible on election day.

Main contenders and the war for the centre

Keiko Fujimori is holding a narrow lead in recent surveys. She's a familiar figure: 50 years old, making her fourth bid for the presidency after reaching the runoff in 2011, 2016 and 2021 and losing each time by small margins. Her family name still carries weight — she served as first lady during her father Alberto Fujimori's 1990s government, a period remembered for both harsh security measures and serious abuses. Alberto Fujimori was later convicted on charges including corruption and human rights abuses and served 16 years in prison.

But Fujimori's path back to the presidency is far from assured. The frontrunner is closely trailed by a disparate group: the comedian-turned-politician Carlos Álvarez, Rafael López Aliaga and Ricardo Belmont, both former mayors of Lima. Each draws on different parts of the electorate and different grievances against the political class.

Ricardo Belmont, Lima's mayor from 1990 to 1995, has been climbing in many polls thanks to an upbeat style that has resonated with younger voters. His campaign borrows the slogan "hugs not bullets" — a phrase associated with Mexico's Andrés Manuel López Obrador — and he has been described by Gonzalo Banda, a political analyst and doctoral researcher at University College London's Institute of the Americas, as an "anti-establishment candidate catching votes from the right, the left and the centre." Belmont, now 80, has also been criticised for xenophobic and sexist remarks, a reminder that his appeal mixes populist tone with controversial rhetoric.

Hard-right voices and social flashpoints

Rafael López Aliaga, who left the Lima mayoralty only a few months ago, has run a far-right campaign marked by aggressive language. The 65-year-old businessman and rail magnate has opposed same-sex marriage and pledged to refuse abortion care to underage rape victims — positions that have helped define him among conservative voters. Campaign observers note his messaging has often strayed into disinformation and attacks on journalists and opponents, though his standing slipped in recent polls.

Mastheads

The mix of candidates reveals how divided Peruvians are. Some voters back outsiders promising a clean break from established parties, others support tough law-and-order stances, and some remain loyal to political figures linked to the Fujimori era. That fragmentation helps explain why no single figure has a clear majority.

Security, corruption and the short-term stakes

Security has become the defining issue of the campaign. Political rhetoric has been dominated by proposals on how to curb homicides and extortion — crimes voters repeatedly cite as their top priorities. At the same time, the legacy of graft hangs over the vote; Odebrecht-related bribery investigations helped topple several administrations across Latin America, and in Peru they left four former presidents behind bars.

These problems go beyond political talking points. They shape how voters view the state and public institutions, and they affect the capacity of any incoming administration to govern. A fragmented result — two-round voting with low first-round majorities — could leave the next president with a weak legislative base and limited room to enact sweeping reforms.

Some candidates aim to tap into that public anger. Others say they represent stability. These competing messages make this election a test of the kind of recovery Peruvians want after years of upheaval.

What the result could mean beyond Lima

The immediate consequences are domestic: deciding who negotiates with Congress, controls security policy, and sets priorities to tackle corruption. The election will also influence Peru's foreign stance, though public reporting hasn't focused much on international policy details. Observers note the main battles are internal—restoring trust in institutions and confidence that the government can provide safety and basic services.

Political unpredictability matters to investors and foreign partners. With many low-polling candidates and a likely runoff, weeks of uncertainty about policy direction lie ahead. That uncertainty often translates into caution among businesses weighing projects or contracts in a country where contracts and public procurement have been flashpoints in past corruption cases. Yet the campaign discourse has concentrated on immediate social problems rather than trade or diplomatic realignment.

Still, the vote will be watched across the region. Peru's recent political instability — nine presidents in ten years — and the imprisonment of former leaders have made it a cautionary tale for neighbours and partners alike. How the electorate responds on Sunday will tell whether Peru can halt that cycle, or whether fragmentation and institutional distrust will continue to shape its politics.

Right now, the race looks set to go to a runoff. Who makes it through will depend on turnout and last-minute shifts in voter preference. The long ballot makes tactical voting hard; it also gives insurgent candidates room to surprise.

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Campaign day itself will test Peru's electoral machinery and the patience of voters who have grown accustomed to rapid political change.

Voices from analysts and pollsters

Urpi Torrado of Datum Internacional has been blunt about the outlook: the race is unpredictable, and surprises are possible on election day. Gonzalo Banda at University College London's Institute of the Americas has highlighted Belmont's broad anti-establishment appeal, noting he has attracted voters from different political directions. Those assessments suggest the contest isn't only close — it's also volatile.

They also point to a practical problem: with so many candidates and little consensus, the next president will face a steep task building alliances inside a reconstituted congress.

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"This is one of the most unpredictable elections on record," said Urpi Torrado of Datum Internacional.

This article was created with AI assistance.