Poll Tracker: Peru's 2026 Presidential Election

This article was originally published on February 11 and has since been updated. 

A series of impeachments, resignations, and interim governments have marked a tumultuous decade in Peruvian politics that has seen nine occupants of the presidential palace. The latest changeover happened less than two months before the first-round vote of an election marked by a high degree of fragmentation. On February 18, Congress appointed José María Balcázar of the leftist Free Peru party to lead the country on an interim basis until an elected president is sworn in on July 28. 

Can this year's vote be the reset needed to slow the revolving presidential door? A record-breaking 35 contenders remain in the race for the April 12 first round. They are vying for the votes of a 27.3 million-strong electorate largely concerned about insecurity and corruption. If no candidate captures more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two advance to a June 7 runoff. 

In the days leading up to the first round, Keiko Fujimori, who heads the conservative People’s Force (FP), has cemented her status as a frontrunner to make the runoff. This is the former congresswoman’s fourth presidential run, after losing the last three runoffs. Although she last held an elected position in 2011, Fujimori, the eldest daughter of former authoritarian President Alberto Fujimori (1990–2000), holds sway in the country’s powerful Congress, where her party leads a right-wing bloc.

There are two other leading right-wing contenders. One is former Lima Mayor Rafael López Aliaga (2023–2025) of the Popular Renewal party (RP). Also known as “Porky,” the politician and businessman’s style has drawn comparisons with U.S. President Donald Trump. The other is popular comedian Carlos Álvarez of the Country for All party (PPT).

Among the candidates competing for left-leaning voters is Ricardo Belmont of the Civic Works Party (PCO). A social conservative, Belmont owns a media company and served as Lima mayor from 1990 to 1995. Another is congressman Roberto Sánchez of Together for Peru (JP), who was endorsed by the imprisoned ex-President Pedro Castillo, for whom he served as foreign trade and tourism minister (2017–2022). One other notable candidate is Alfonso López-Chau of the Now Nation party (AN), a former central bank director (2006–2012) currently under investigation for alleged corruption during his time as president of the National University of Engineering (2021–2025).