Peruvian presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori vows to expel migrants • FRANCE 24 English

Key Concepts

• "Iron Fist" Approach: A political strategy emphasizing strict law enforcement, increased security measures, and punitive justice.
• Runoff Election: A secondary election held when no candidate secures a majority in the first round, scheduled for June.
• Populism: A political approach that appeals to the concerns of ordinary people, often by positioning the leader against established institutions.
• Alberto Fujimori Legacy: The political influence of the former authoritarian president, characterized by economic growth and security, but also human rights controversies.

The Political Landscape of the 2025 Peruvian Election

The 2025 presidential race in Peru is defined by a crowded field of 35 candidates, with no single contender polling above the "teens." This fragmentation makes a runoff election in June statistically inevitable. The central driver of the electorate's concerns is a sharp rise in insecurity, evidenced by a doubling of annual murders between 2018 and 2025 and a significant increase in extortion cases.

The Rise of Right-Wing Populism

Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori, has emerged as a frontrunner. Her platform focuses on:

• Security: Implementing a crackdown on crime.
• Immigration: Proposing the expulsion of illegal migrants.
• Economic Policy: Attracting U.S. investment to stimulate growth.
• Legacy: Fujimori explicitly invokes her father’s tenure, claiming he "brought order" and "economic growth," and pledges to surpass his achievements.

Other prominent right-wing figures include:

• Rafael Lopez Aliaga: An ultra-conservative candidate advocating for hardline security policies.
• Carlos Alvarez: A TV comedian turned politician who has adopted a radical stance on justice. Alvarez has explicitly stated: "Even if I have to take on Congress and all the democratic institutions, I will fight to the very end to bring back the death penalty in Peru for crimes committed in the act."

The Centrist and Left-Wing Response

Despite the dominance of "iron fist" rhetoric, centrist and left-wing candidates are attempting to replicate the surprise victory seen in the 2021 election. Former Lima mayor Ricardo Belmont is noted as a candidate gaining traction, though he faces the same systemic hurdle as his opponents: a profound lack of public trust in government institutions.

Synthesis and Conclusion

The 2025 Peruvian election is characterized by a deep-seated anxiety regarding public safety. The political discourse is currently dominated by right-wing candidates who promise aggressive, authoritarian-style interventions to restore order. While candidates like Keiko Fujimori leverage the historical legacy of her father to appeal to voters, the extreme fragmentation of the 35-candidate field and the pervasive distrust in the political establishment suggest that the path to the presidency will be decided in a highly contested runoff. The election serves as a referendum on whether the Peruvian public prefers a return to "iron fist" governance or a shift toward alternative political models.