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Spain's El Pais: "FREPAP, the biggest surprise in Peru's political scene"

18:02 | Madrid (Spain), Jan. 27.

The configuration of political forces in the Peruvian Congress has been modified after the extraordinary parliamentary elections held last Sunday, according to the first results, Spanish newspaper El Pais reported on Monday.

"A quick count carried out by Ipsos Peru indicated that Accion Popular center-right party is the largest minority in the Legislative Branch. The Fujimori-aligned Fuerza Popular, which had been the dominant opposition party until September, was displaced to the sixth position because of the number of votes," the influential media outlet said.

"The second-most voted force is an ultra-conservative messianic political party with urban and rural social grassroots in the low- and lower-middle classes, known as Agricultural People's Front of Peru (FREPAP)," it added.

The publication noted that Peruvians have participated in an extraordinary process because —for the first time— it was aimed at forming a new Congress.

In addition, the article states that the new Parliament shall be assembled in March and remain in office until July 2021, given that President Martin Vizcarra dissolved Congress on September 30 last year and called for elections.

Congress was dissolved last year, following the political crisis in the South American country and tension between powers that characterized Peruvian politics for three years.

El Pais stressed that the electorate has punished Fuerza Popular and that APRA —the party of Peru's late former President Alan Garcia— ended up with no seats in Parliament, since it did not pass the 5% threshold necessary to enter, along with PPC and Solidaridad Nacional.

(END) RES/RMB/MVB

Published: 1/27/2020