| 2018 Peruvian constitutional referendum | |
| Country: | Peru |
| Date: | 9 December 2018 |
| Barwidth: | 200px |
| Part1 Subject: | Do you approve the conformation and functions of the National Board of Justice, before the National Council of the Magistracy? |
| Part1 Choice1: | Yes |
| Part1 Percentage1: | 86.57 |
| Part1 Color1: | Green |
| Part1 Choice2: | No |
| Part1 Percentage2: | 13.43 |
| Part1 Color2: | Red |
| Part2 Subject: | Do you approve the regulation of the financing of political organizations? |
| Part2 Choice1: | Yes |
| Part2 Percentage1: | 85.78 |
| Part2 Color1: | Green |
| Part2 Choice2: | No |
| Part2 Percentage2: | 14.22 |
| Part2 Color2: | Red |
| Part3 Subject: | Do you approve the prohibition of immediate re-election of parliamentarians? |
| Part3 Choice1: | Yes |
| Part3 Percentage1: | 85.82 |
| Part3 Color1: | Green |
| Part3 Choice2: | No |
| Part3 Percentage2: | 14.18 |
| Part3 Color2: | Red |
| Part4 Subject: | Do you approve the establishment of bicamerality in the Congress of the Republic? |
| Part4 Choice1: | Yes |
| Part4 Percentage1: | 9.48 |
| Part4 Color1: | Green |
| Part4 Choice2: | No |
| Part4 Percentage2: | 90.52 |
| Part4 Color2: | Red |
| Turnout: | 72.57% |
A constitutional referendum was held in Peru on 9 December 2018 alongside the second round of gubernatorial elections.[1]
The referendum, originally proposed by President Martín Vizcarra, saw three of four proposals accepted. The final proposal of a bicameral congress was denied after Vizcarra withdrew his support following modifications during congressional approval that would have resulted with weaker presidential powers.
Following the Odebrecht scandal which saw four of Peru's former presidents involved in corruption scandals, Peruvians demanded government accountability regarding corruption.[2] President Martín Vizcarra following the resignation of President Kuczynski stated upon being sworn in on 23 March 2018 that Peruvians have "had enough" of corruption, promising to lead an anti-corruption movement in Peru.[3]
Since being a minister, Vizcarra faced opposition from Fujimoristas.[4] The Fujimorista movement was led by Keiko Fujimori, daughter of Alberto Fujimori, a former Peruvian president imprisoned for corruption and crimes against humanity.
Upon Vizcarra's entrance into the office of the presidency, the Fujimoristas, which held the majority of seats within the Congress of the Republic of Peru, immediately began to oppose Vizcarra's projects.[5]
Months after being sworn in, Vizcarra called for a constitutional referendum on 28 July 2018 to prohibit private funding for political campaigns, to ban the reelection of lawmakers and to recreate a bicameral congress.[6]
Congress immediately attempted to prevent judicial and congressional reform from occurring and initially created delays in the process.[7] Due to these actions, Vizcarra raised a motion of no confidence threatening the closure of congress. As a result, congress began the approval process for the referendum.
The first reform approved by Fujimori-led congress on 18 September 2018 would see the National Council of the Magistrature renamed the National Board of Justice. The way its members are appointed would also be changed, with new members chosen by a special commission headed by the Attorney General, the Comptroller General, the president of the constitutional tribunal, the president of the judicial branch and the Public Defender through a public contest.
The second reform approved by Congress, on 26 September, was an amendment to article 35 of the constitution regulating political party finances, introducing audits and penalties for illegal donations.
After the temporary detention of Keiko Fujimori on 10 October, legislators belonging to American Popular Revolutionary Alliance and the Fujimorista-led Popular Force introduced a bill the following day on 11 October 2018 to modify Vizcarra's referendum proposals with their own suggestions to the public.[8]
Later in October, the third proposal approved introduced a term limit of one consecutive term for members of Congress–left largely unchanged from Vizcarra's original proposal–while the fourth and final proposal included making Congress a bicameral legislature with 130 deputies and 50 senators.[9] This final proposal was modified by the Fujimoristas in congress to weaken the power of the presidency and President Vizcarra quickly withdrew his support from creating a bicameral congress.
The final referendum questions were:
Voters ultimately accepted the first three referendum proposals, rejecting the final proposal of establishing a bicameral congress that President Vizcarra had withdrawn his support from after the Fujimorista-controlled congress amended the proposal.
| Question | For | Against | Invalid/ blank | Total votes | Registered voters | Turnout | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | ||||||
| National Council of the Magistrature reform | 13,697,835 | 86.57 | 2,125,359 | 13.43 | 1,730,038 | 17,553,232 | 24,187,276 | 72.57% | |
| Political party financing reform | 13,638,409 | 85.78 | 2,260,068 | 14.22 | 1,654,755 | ||||
| One-term limits for Congress members | 13,568,454 | 85.82 | 2,242,673 | 14.18 | 1,742,105 | ||||
| Creating a bicameral Congress | 1,457,871 | 9.48 | 13,918,972 | 90.52 | 2,176,389 | ||||
| Source: ONPE | |||||||||
President Vizcarra and analysts agreed that the referendum was just the first step of combating corruption that has been well-established in Peru. Vizcarra also highlighted that the election occurred on International Anti-Corruption Day and the anniversary of the 1824 Battle of Ayacucho, which sealed independence for not only Peru, but for the entire South American continent. Gestión stated that results were a victory for Vizcarra while on the other hand, Peruvians had "harshly punished Congress".