He Congress has embarked on a career to modify the rules to be applied in the general elections and to modify the rules referring to the composition and mandate of the electoral authorities.
The Constitution Commission, which has been in the hands of Fujimorism for three yearshas become the laboratory where the opinions of these counter-reforms are prepared.
Electoral rules
On Tuesday, October 29, the Constitution Commission, which is now chaired by Fujimori congressman Fernando Rospigliosidiscussed a prediction on the rules with which the Bicameral Congress in 2026.
The text proposes that there be at least 130 deputies and 60 senators. But the lines below indicate that the National Elections Jury (JNE) will set that amount on the figure on the electoral roll.
“At the rate of one deputy for every 160 thousand voters and twice as many voters for each senator,†the prediction states. In the 2021 general elections there were more than 25 million Peruvians eligible to vote. Based on that figure, there would be 158 deputies and 79 senators. In total, 237 parliamentarians.
Congressman Rospigliosi said in the session that “in these elections there will be 60 senators and 130 deputies.” “The new provision would take effect from the next election. That is, in 2031, where the number of deputies and senators would increase according to the number of voters,” he said.
With more deputies and senators, the current congressmen will have greater opportunities in an election. And in the case of 2026, if they are not victorious, the prediction allows them to run in the regional and municipal elections.
The report was not voted on that day, but that does not mean that the commission will not make a decision later.
Electoral organizations
On the other hand, in that session there was white smoke over the bill that modifies the election rules of the president of the JNE.
The opinion proposes that the head of this institution be elected from among the members of its plenary session. Thus, the representative of the Supreme Court He will no longer be the one who directly assumes that position.
With this formula, the mandate could also be assumed by the representative of the Board of Supreme Prosecutors, the Bar Association, public or private universities.
The ruling was approved four days after the Supreme Court elected Judge Roberto Burneo as its representative in the JNE. Burneo will replace Salas Arenas and assume the presidency this month.
Likewise, the text indicates that the mandate of this authority will last two years. And it also proposes that the heads of the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) and the National Registry of Identity and Civil Status (Reniec) cannot be re-elected.
In Congress they would seek to avoid repeating the experience with the heads of ONPE, Piero Corvetto, and Reniec, Carmen Velardewho were ratified this year by the National Board of Justice (JNJ).
All that remains is for the opinion to be heard in plenary session.
In the hands of the Armed Forces
On Thursday, October 31, another ruling was deliberated in the chamber, based on a Popular Renewal initiative, which provides that in the elections the ONPE delivers a copy of the electoral record to the Armed Forces (FF.AA) for safekeeping.
In March, JNE spoke out against this project because it could be perceived as government intervention. However, in Congress it has become normal not to take into account the observations of electoral organizations.
The counter-reform will be voted on in the next plenary session. This is how the congressional package advances.
Other electoral rules in the spotlight
The Constitution Commission has an opinion ready to be voted on in the Plenary of the Congress that proposes to change the Magna Carta so that the president of the JNE and the heads of the ONPE and Reniec are liable to constitutional accusation.
The bench of Country Advances proposes reducing the electoral threshold for political party alliances in these elections to 5%.
This Congress eliminated the obligation of primary, open, simultaneous and mandatory elections (PASO). Political parties may elect their candidates through the assembly of delegates.
| Proposal | State |
| Increase the number of congressmen to a minimum of 237: 158 deputies and 79 senators in the 2031 elections | Pending approval in the Constitution Commission |
| Allow current congressmen to also run in the 2026 regional and municipal elections | Pending approval in the Constitution Commission |
| Reduce the barrier for electoral alliances to 5% | Pending approval in the Constitution Commission |
| Include a designated candidate on the presidential slate | Pending approval in the Constitution Commission |
| Change the election rules for the president of the JNE | Pending vote in the Plenary of Congress |
| Send a copy of the electoral record to the Armed Forces | Pending vote in the Plenary of Congress |
| Enable electoral authorities to be subjected to constitutional accusations | Pending vote in the Plenary of Congress |
