Deadline for political affiliation: decisive day for Peruvian citizens

Today, July 12, is a crucial day for those Peruvian citizens who wish to actively engage in the politics of their country. On this date, the deadline established by the National Jury of Elections (JNE) for people to affiliate with a political party expires, thus giving them the possibility to run in the primary elections, where the political groups will define the candidates who will participate in the general elections of 2026. Willy Ramírez Chávarry, a member of the JNE plenary, emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between party membership or affiliation and the registration of a party itself. Being affiliated implies being an active part of the political organization, participating in the ideological and programmatic definition of the party, as well as in the election of internal authorities and pre-candidates for the upcoming elections. In the context of this process, Luis Grillo, Head of Citizen Services at the JNE, points out that 72 lists of affiliates have been received so far, within the framework of their update, whose deadline ends tomorrow. These records belong to both the 30 political parties with official registration before the Registry of Political Organizations (ROP), and to another 18 political organizations that are still in the registration process. Faced with the avalanche of requests and procedures, the JNE has extended its service hours until 23:00 and will continue to assist on Friday from 8:00 to 23:59. It is important to note that this process of updating lists of affiliates does not imply the registration of new political parties, but allows groups to update and complement the information of their existing affiliates. In this regard, Grillo explains that there are three different scenarios considered in this process. Firstly, the 30 already registered political parties can register new affiliates to ensure their participation in the primary elections. Secondly, political organizations in the registration process have the opportunity to supplement the list of affiliates initially presented. And finally, organizations that are not yet registered but wish to initiate the registration process with the JNE also have until today to do so. In conclusion, the deadline established by the JNE for affiliation with political parties in view of the 2026 elections is a crucial step in the country's democratic process. Citizens who wish to actively participate in political life and contribute to the future of Peru have until today to decide to affiliate and be part of building a more democratic and participatory country.