The challenge of the center in a polarized political landscape: an attractive option for the 2026 elections?

In the midst of the principled maximalism of the extremes, a discourse that emphasizes the mundane problems of public policy that concern citizens may be welcomed. What possibilities do the different candidacies have for the 2026 elections? A starting point for the analysis are the initial preferences of the electorate. According to the January survey of this year by the Instituto de Estudios Peruanos (IEP), of the total valid responses, it could be said that 28% define themselves as left, 36% as right, and 36% as center. With the same numbers, it could be said that the far-left gathers 22% of citizens, the far-right 28%, and the center positions reach up to 50%. It all depends, of course, on what we understand by each of these categories. The point is that there are incentives for those at the extremes to develop extremist discourses. Pedro Castillo came in first in the 2021 elections with just 15% of the votes cast, and Keiko Fujimori entered the second round with only 11%. Representing the bulk of extremist votes could be the key to entering the second round of elections. Despite all the criticisms they may receive, the latest IEP survey in March informs us that Keiko Fujimori garners the sympathy of 20% of respondents, Rafael López Aliaga 16%, and Antauro Humala 12%. In recent years, extreme positions have gained traction both in Peru and around the world. In the leftist world, the vindication of Pedro Castillo's original project, the call for a constituent assembly, the anti-centralist cause, the vindication of the rural and Andean world, the criticism of "neoliberalism," among others, mark a contested electoral base. In the right-wing world, mobilization against the threat of communism, the defense of traditional values against the advance of 'woke-caviar' progressivism, and the vindication of family and life mark another relevant base. What are the possibilities for the center in this polarized landscape? Political forces occupying this space cannot easily develop polarizing and confrontational discourses like those in the extremes. However, in the midst of the principled maximalism of the extremes, a discourse that emphasizes the mundane problems of public policy that concern citizens - such as insecurity, job creation, improvements in education and health services, and so on - may be welcomed. For years, an excessively ideologized, judicialized, and based on disqualifications and diverse accusations debate has relegated the discussion on concrete policies. For now, the surveys only mention Martín Vizcarra and Alfonso López-Chau as center references; unlike the extremes, it is a relatively empty space still under construction. Will the center manage to consolidate itself as an attractive option for voters in the upcoming 2026 elections? Only time will tell.