Following the 26 January congressional elections, discussions have been taking place last week between the executive and members of Congress to conform a group of parties that will support the government’s agenda for political and judicial reforms.

A group of parties appear to be coming close to building a bloc in Congress to support those reforms. This includes Acción Popular (AP), the largest party in the new legislature, Alianza para el Progreso (APP), Somos Perú and the Partido Morado. All are on the centre-right of the political spectrum.

Excluded from this group appear to be Unión por el Perú (UPP), whose leading light is Antauro Humama, and Fuerza Popular, the party of fujimorismo. The role to be played by the evangelical Frepap is unclear, as is that of the left-wing Frente Amplio.

It seems likely that AP’s Manuel Merino, a representative from Tumbes, will be the next president of Congress.