Government of Peru

The government of Peru, as established by the 1993 Constitution, is a presidential representative democratic republic.

Legislative branch

Congress "(congresistas)" consists of 120 members, who are elected for five year periods in office on a proportional representation basis. To be eligible, candidates must be Peruvian citizens, have passed their 25th birthday, and not have had their right to vote suspended.

Executive branch

The President of Peru, officially the President of the Republic ("Presidente de la República"), is the chief of state of Peru and represents the republic in official international matters. The presidential term is five years; incumbents cannot be re-elected for a second consecutive term. The current president is Alan Garcia, elected in 2006.

Judicial branch

The Judicial branch is headed by the Supreme Court of the Republic that has jurisdiction over the whole nation. The second hierarchic level is made up of the Superior Courts which have jurisdiction over an entire Judicial District which are more or less synonymous to the 25 Regions or Departments of Peru. There are 28 Judicial Districts. The third hierarchic level is formed by the Courts of First Instance (trial court), which have jurisdiction over each province. The fourth and lowest hierarchic level of the Peruvian Judicial Power, are the Courts of Peace who only have jurisdiction over a single district.

uffrage

Voting is obligatory in Peru. The election process is held by the National Jury of Elections and the National Office of Electoral Processes.

Local governments