In this essay the author seeks to examine political development in Peru since the late 1980's, especially since Alberto Fujimori's election as the president of Peru. It focuses on the breakdown of the Peruvian political party system (its existence and the political parties' roles), as well as the most critical problems in the last few years: hyperinflation and terrorism. Finally, it discusses the conditions under which the party system might be revived.

The article examines the populist tradition in Peru's political development over the last fifty years, seeking to draw attention to some of the continuities in the political practice of successive regimes, albeit ones of different ideological orientations. In so doing, it seeks to define 'populism' as a style of government which links the rulers with the ruled bypassing representative systems of political mediation.   Whilst typically populism emerges at moment of economic and political crisis, when representative institutions fail lo provide solutions lo popular demands, it also reflects the longstanding weakness of such institutions in Peru this century. Despite the very different orientation of their economic policies, the political methods of the Garcia and Fujimori governments have more in common than is often believed. These continuities reflect, in part, the chasm dividing the st...

More than most Latin American countries in recent times, Peru has seen party voting strength, organisation and loyalties eroded. Since the Fujimori period, however – when parties found themselves under systematic attack – the return to more normal electoral activity has opened up a space for parties to reemerge. The 2003 Law on Political Parties was designed to strengthen a pluralistic party system. However, the results proved disappointing. Three rounds of elections in 2006 did little to restore voter confidence in Peru's major parties; these remain 'top-down' affairs with only shallow roots in society. However, the November 2006 local elections suggested that new forces may be emerging at the meso- level of politics in tandem with social movements. Study of Peruvian politics requires its own decentralisation.