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Parliament name (generic / translated) Congreso de la República / Congress of the Republic More photos  >>> Structure of parliament Unicameral Affiliation to the IPU Yes Affiliation date(s) 1927 - 1928 1956 - 1969 1983 - LEADERSHIP President Daniel Fernando Abugattás Majluf (M)  Notes Elected on 26 July 2011. Secretary General Giuliana Zenaida Lastres Blanco (F)  Notes 4 Aug. 2011 - COMPOSITION Members (statutory / current number) 130 / 130 PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN More statistics  >>> Women (current number) 28 (21.54%) Mode of designation directly elected 130 Term 5 years Last renewal dates 10 April 2011 (View details) CONTACT INFORMATION Address Congreso de la República Plaza Bolivar S/N - LIMA 1 (Export mailing lists) Phone (511) 311 7700 311 7701 Fax (511) 311 7703 311 7704 E-mail oficialmayor@congreso.gob.pe vcastro@congreso.gob.pe Website http://www.congreso.gob.pe

Parliament name (generic / translated) Congreso de la República / Congress of the Republic Structure of parliament Unicameral LEGAL FRAMEWORK Electoral law 27 September 1997 Last amendment: 28 December 2000 Mode of designation directly elected 130 Constituencies 25 multi-member constituencies. Voting system Proportional: Proportional representation system with closed party lists. Vacancies arising between general elections are filled by the next-in-line candidates of the same party list. Voting is compulsory until the age of 70. Voter requirements - age: 18 years - Peruvian citizenship - full possession of civil and political rights - disqualifications: judicial interdiction, persons under sentence which deprives them of their freedom, members of the armed and police forces on active duty. CANDIDATES Eligibility - qualified electors - age: 25 years - Peruvian by birth Incompatibilities - other public functions (except Minister of State and authorized membership of extraordinary commissions of international character), certain judicial and financial offices - certain posts in State-connected enterprises Candidacy requirements - nomination by political parties or alliances of parties

Parliament name (generic / translated) Congreso de la República / Congress of the Republic Structure of parliament Unicameral BACKGROUND Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 10 April 2011 Timing and scope of renewal Elections were held for all the seats of the Congress of the Republic on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. The 2011 parliamentary elections were held in parallel with the presidential polls and the elections for the country's representatives to the Andean Parliament. At stake were 130 seats in the newly enlarged Congress, up from 120. In the previous elections held in April 2006, the then ruling Perú Posible Party suffered a major defeat, winning only two of the 120 seats at stake, a sharp drop from the 45 they had previously held. The biggest winner was the Union for Peru (UPP), which took 45 seats, up from six previously. The American Popular Revolutionary Party (APRA) and the National Unity Party also made gains, winning 36 and 17 seats respectively. The Alliance for the Future - formed by supporters of former president Alberto Fujimori - took 13. His daughter, Ms. Keiko Fujimori was elected with the highest individual score nationwide. In the presidential race, former president Alan García (APRA) defeated Mr. Ollanta Humala (UPP) in run-off elections. After the elections, the Centre Front (which won five seats), Perú Posible and the National Restoration formed a new party in Congress and allied themselves to APRA. Mr. García's second term saw five prime ministers. The first, Mr. Jorge Del Castillo (APLA), resigned in October 2008 over corruption scandals. The President subsequently appointed Mr. Yehude Simón (a non-APLA member) who resigned in July 2009 following a strike by Amazonian indigenous peoples against new land laws (which were subsequently repealed). Mr. Javier Velásquez Quesquen (APLA) succeeded him only to leave the post after a cabinet reshuffle in September 2010. Mr. José Antonio Chang Escobedo (APLA), his successor, also resigned in March 2011 for personal reasons and was succeeded by Ms. Rosario Fernández, an independent. In the meantime, in April 2009, Mr. Alberto Fujimori was sentenced to a 25-year prison term for corruption and authorizing death squad killings in the 1990s. In March 2010, his supporters formed a new party, Force 2011, in view of the 2011 presidential elections. The country of 30 million inhabitants is a leading exporter of copper, gold, silver and other metals, and increases in global commodity prices boosted Peru's economy. Nevertheless, one in three Peruvians still lives on less than US $3 a day and has no access to running water. The Peruvian Constitution prohibits two consecutive presidential mandates, thus barring Mr. García from running in 2011. The media focused on the presidential race, pushing the parliamentary polls to the back burner. In 2011, Mr. Humala's Peruvian Nationalist Party formed the Peru Wins alliance with several other leftist parties. Force 2011 formed the Force 2011 Alliance with the National Renewal Party, and backed Ms. Keiko Fujimori as its presidential candidate. Other major candidates included former president Alejandro Toledo of the Perú Posible Party and Mr. Pedro Pablo Kuczynski of the Alliance for Major Change, who had served as prime minister under Mr. Toledo. Mr. Humala's Peru Wins alliance pledged to review the Constitution on the basis of a "new economic model". It promised to work for a greater State role in the economy, including the water and sanitation sectors, and pledged to increase the tax on international mining companies from the current 30 per cent to 40-45 per cent and to prioritize natural gas produced at the Camisea fields for domestic use rather than for export. It also promised to provide free nursery and public education, and increase the minimum wage and pensions. Ms. Fujimori's Force 2011 Alliance promised to promote free trade and open markets and reduce the costs of doing business by 20 per cent over the next five years, so as to achieve an annual economic growth of 7 per cent. It pledged to crack down on crime by applying harsher punishments, including the death penalty. It also promised to provide more housing with water and basic sanitation. Ms. Fujimori said only the courts could decide whether to pardon her 72 year-old father. The Perú Posible Party, led by Mr. Toledo - Peru's first elected indigenous president - focused on poverty reduction, promising to reduce the poverty rate from the current 35 per cent to 10 per cent. It promised to transform Peru into a maritime hub by improving logistics and infrastructure and attracting more foreign investment to develop the country's economy. Mr. Kuczynski's Alliance for Major Change pledged to eliminate extreme poverty within 10 years and reduce sales tax from the current 18 to 15 per cent. It promised to provide all Peruvians with clean drinking water. Mr. Kuczynski pledged to surrender his US nationality if elected. On 10 April, 83.72 per cent of the 19.94 million registered voters turned out at the polls. The final results gave 41 seats to the Peru Wins alliance and 35 to Force 2011. Perú Posible came in third with 22 seats while the Alliance for Major Change took 18 seats. The final results gave 47 seats to the Peru Wins alliance and 38 to Force 2011 Alliance. Perú Posible Party came in third with 21 seats while the Alliance for Major Change took 12 seats. The remainder went to small parties. None of the presidential candidates secured an absolute majority. In the run-off presidential elections held on 5 June, Mr. Humala (Peru Wins alliance) won over Ms. Fujimori (Force 2011 Alliance). The newly-elected parliament met on 26 July and elected Mr. Daniel Fernando Abugattás Majluf (Peru Wins alliance) as its new Speaker. On 28 July, Mr. Humala was sworn in as President of the Republic. STATISTICS Voter turnout Round no 1 10 April 2011 Number of registered electors Voters Blank or invalid ballot papers Valid votes 19'949'915 16'701'619 (83.72%) Notes Distribution of votes Round no 1 Political group Candidates Votes % of votes Peru Wins alliance Force 2011 Alliance "Perú Posible" Party Alliance for Major Change National Solidarity Alliance Peruvian Aprista Party (PAP) Distribution of seats Round no 1 Political Group Total of seats Peru Wins alliance 47 Force 2011 Alliance 38 "Perú Posible" Party 21 Alliance for Major Change 12 National Solidarity Alliance 8 Peruvian Aprista Party (PAP) 4 Distribution of seats according to sex Men Women Percent of women 102 28 21.54% Distribution of seats according to age Distribution of seats according to profession Comments Note: The Peruvian Aprista Party (PAP) is also known as the American Popular Revolutionary Party (APRA). Sources: http://www.congreso.gob.pe/organizacion/pleno.asp?mode=Pleno http://www.elecciones2011.onpe.gob.pe/resultados2011/1ravuelta/ http://documentos.jne.gob.pe/conaut/wf_inicio.aspx

Parliament name (generic / translated) Congreso de la República / Congress of the Republic Structure of parliament Unicameral APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE Title President of the Democratic Constituent Congress Term - duration: 1 year (expiry date is 26 July) - reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, removal due to penal or disciplinary sanctions, permanent disqualification, death, dissolution of Congress Appointment - elected by all Members of Congress - the election is held in July of every year - after mandates have been validated and members have been sworn in when the Congress is elected Eligibility - any Member of Congress may be a candidate, but formal notification of candidature must be made by a parliamentary group - the deadline for notification of candidature is 24 hours before the election Voting system - formal vote by secret ballot - an absolute majority is required in the first round, as against a simple majority in the second round - in case of a series of votes, new candidates are admitted and the results of the previous vote are not considered Procedures / results - the outgoing President presides over the Congress during the voting - two tellers appointed by the President supervise the voting - the outgoing President announces the results without delay - the results may be challenged even though this is not covered by the Standing Orders STATUS Status - ranks second in the hierarchy of State - may act as Head of State in the latter's absence - represents the Congress with the authorities - is an ex officio member of certain international organizations - represents the Congress in international bodies - may be ex officio Chairman of certain committees - in the absence of the President, the First, Second or Third Vice-President can assume his/her role and functions Board - the Directive Board is regulated by the Standing Orders - consists of the President, the three Vice-Presidents and the spokesmen for the various parliamentary groups - members serve one-year terms - is only responsible for assisting and advising the President Material facilities - allowance: US$ 2,849/mo - official car - secretariat and additional staff - bodyguards FUNCTIONS Organization of parliamentary business - convenes sessions - organizes the debates and sets speaking time - may refer texts to a committee for study, although this is usually done by one of the Vice-Presidents Chairing of public sittings - can open, adjourn and close sittings - ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders - makes announcements concerning the Congress - takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures - establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak - establishes the order in which amendments are taken up and selects which amendments are to be debated - calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities - checks the quorum with the the assistance of the Senior Officer (Clerk) - authenticates the texts adopted and the records of debates with the help of the Vice-Presidents Special powers - presents the budget for Congress to the Directive Board - proposes the Senior Officer General to the Directive Board The Directive Board - recruits, assigns and promotes staff - organizes the services of Congress - is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments - is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Congress Speaking and voting rights, other functions - takes the floor in legislative debates by leaving his/her seat - provides guidelines for the interpretation or completion of the text under discussion in certain cases - takes part in voting only in case of a tie - proposes bills or amendments - intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure as a parliamentarian - transmits bills to the Head of State for promulgation; if within 15 days the latter fails to promulgate the text, the President of the Congress may proceed with the promulgation of the laws - ensures the constitutionality of laws

This page was last updated on 24 January 2012
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