Voters in Peru headed to the polls on Sunday to elect a new president and members of Congress. The election is taking place amid a spike in violent crime and corruption, with no clear favorite candidate among disgruntled voters, reflecting widespread societal discontent.

A total of 35 candidates are on the ballot, including conservative former congresswoman Keiko Fujimori, who has vowed to crack down on crime but has also defended laws that experts say hinder the prosecution of criminals. This marks her fourth bid for the presidency, highlighting persistent political fragmentation.

Other key contenders are Rafael Lopez Aliaga, the conservative former mayor of Lima, who has proposed building prisons in the Amazon region and allowing judiciary members to conceal their identities to shield them from criminal gangs, alongside pushing for the expulsion of foreigners living illegally in the country. Popular comedian Carlos Alvarez is also campaigning on a tough anti-crime platform, underscoring the centrality of security issues in the race.

A candidate needs over 50% of votes to win outright, but given the electorate's dissatisfaction, a runoff in June is highly likely. Voting stations opened at 7 a.m. local time, with about 27 million people eligible to vote, closing at 5 p.m., and preliminary results from the election monitor are expected soon after, with the outcome poised to impact Peru's stability amid ongoing challenges.

Source: www.dw.com