The Congress of Peru approves eliminating the vote of confidence in the cabinet, but it will go to a referendum

The ruling, which covers bills 206, 306 and 612, received 75 votes in favor and 46 against.

The Peruvian Congress approved this Monday the elimination of the controversial vote of confidence in the cabinet of ministers, which has generated more than one tense political situation in the South American country; however, the measure must go to a referendum.

The ruling, which covers bills 206, 306 and 612, received 75 votes in favor and 46 against. By not reaching 87 votes (two thirds of the legal number of congressmen), but by exceeding 66, the measure is considered approved, but it will have to be ratified by referendum as it is a constitutional reform, in accordance with the provisions of the Article 206 of the Constitution.

With this initiative, Parliament seeks to reform the Constitution, in order to suppress the obligation that each cabinet has ministerial to request a vote of confidence before the Legislature, when presented.

Specifically, it seeks to change article 130 of the Constitution, which reads: “Within 30 days of having assumed their functions, the president of the Council of Ministers attends the Congress, in the company of the other ministers, to expose and debate the general policy of the Government and the main measures that its management requires. He raises the question of trust effect.”

The opinion that was debated in plenary session was approved by the Constitution and Regulations Commission, in February 2022.

On that occasion, Fujimori congresswoman Patricia Juarez Gallegos, then president of that commission, pointed out that the objective was to establish that this presentation that the new ministerial cabinet must make before the Legislative does not give rise to “any vote of confidence”.

In that debate in the Constitution Commission, it was considered that in a presidential regime it is the Executive who should give confidence to his cabinet and not Parliament.

Confidence to cabinet in crisis

Last week, the cabinet of the president of the Council of Ministers, Alberto Otarola, was the last to present this question of trust before Congress, receiving approval with 73 votes in favor, 43 against and six abstentions.

That cabinet received the approval of Parliament in the midst of the serious political situation that the country has been experiencing since December of last year, with strong protests in the streets against the administration of President Dina Boluarte, in which they have denounced repression by of law enforcement.

According to the latest report from the Ombudsman’s Office, offered on Sunday afternoon, so far there have been 49 deaths in the context of the demonstrations.

There are 41 civilians killed “in clashes”, another seven “due to traffic accidents and events related to the blockade” and one police officer “due to acts of violence in the context of the conflict”.