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LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

A daily publication Of the dialogue

December 4, 2023

Would Reforming Peru’s Congress Improve Stability?

Peru’s Congress is considering a measure to add a chamber to the currently unicameral legislature. // File Photo: Genu5960 via Creative Commons.

Q

  • Peru’s Congress on Nov. 16 advanced a constitutional reform that proposes adding a second chamber to the unicameral legislature. Another vote in Congress next year will decide whether the proposal becomes law. Peru has suffered from chronic political instability, with the country cycling through seven presidents in just the last decade, with some either being ousted by Congress or resigning ahead of imminent impeachment. How much has Peru’s unicameral legislature contributed to facilitating the impeachment of presidents and the country’s instability, and would a bicameral legislature improve political stability? How likely is the bill to be approved in next year’s vote and what is the likely public reaction in Peru if it passes? What other reforms does Peru need in order to make the government more stable?

A

Maxwell A. Cameron, professor of political science at the University of British Columbia: “In principle, both bicameralism and legislative re-election are positive and could contribute to strengthening Peru’s battered democracy. The elimination of bicameralism made it possible to pass laws ‘between midnight and the rooster,’ often in response to the will of the president. But while executive aggrandizement has been a problem in the past, today congressional overreach undermines the separation of powers. Congress and the president have to learn to work together. Bicameralism would not necessarily solve the conflict between branches of government. A Senate could, however, provide better representation of the regions, which is desperately needed given Peru’s…”

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The Inter-American Dialogue publishes the Latin America Advisor every business day for a distinguished membership of informed corporate leaders, scholars, and government officials invested in Latin America’s development and future. The Advisor‘s highly regarded Q&A section covers questions submitted by subscribers themselves. Commentators regularly include heads of state, business leaders, diplomats, economists, analysts, and thought leaders from around the world. Many of the world’s largest and fastest-growing companies subscribe to the Advisor. To subscribe, click here. For terms and conditions, click here. For more information, contact Gene Kuleta, editor of the Advisor, at gkuleta@thedialogue.org.
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