Peru has a new interim president

Peru has a new interim head of state. In a context of strong political instability, the Parliament in Lima elected José María Balcázar, who will lead the nation after the dismissal on Tuesday 17 February of his predecessor José Jerí. The appointment came as a surprise: Balcázar - 83 years old, a lawyer and former magistrate, deputy of the left-wing Perú Libre party (same formation as Pedro Castillo) and close to his party's Marxist-Leninist tradition - defeated María del Carmen Alva, the great favourite, in the second round. A member of the centre-right Acción Popular party, she had already been president of parliament between 2021 and 2022.

Balcázar's victory was possible thanks to the support of the left and other moderate parliamentary forces. The new leadership will have to attempt to restore governability in the country worn down by continuous institutional crises.

Balcazar was elected overnight to head the Peruvian parliament, automatically assuming the country's interim presidency, which he will lead until the inauguration of the new head of state, scheduled for 28 July, at the end of the 12 April presidential elections.

The 83-year-old lawyer and former judge becomes theeighth head of state of the Andean nation since 2016. "Jose Maria Balcazar Zalada has been elected President of the Congress of the Republic. Accordingly, he will assume the interim presidency of the Republic of Peru,' the Congress announced on its X account.

An MP since 2021, he was elected in the second round after none of the four candidates had obtained a simple majority in the first round. He received 60 votes, compared to 46 for his centrist rival, Maria del Carmen Alva. "We will guarantee the Peruvian people a peaceful and transparent democratic transition and electoral process," he said after being sworn in as interim president.