Peru votes for new president among 35 contenders in bid to end political turmoil

Polls opened in Peru on Sunday morning as millions of citizens began casting their ballots to elect a new president from a record-breaking field of 35 candidates.

The election marks a pivotal moment for a nation seeking to end a decade of unprecedented political volatility.

Most pre-election polls favor a trio of frontrunners from across the ideological spectrum, though none appear poised for an outright victory. Under Peruvian law, a candidate must secure more than 50% of the vote to be elected in the first round.

The frontrunners are led by Keiko Fujimori of Fuerza Popular, the daughter of the late former President Alberto Fujimori, who is leveraging a solid far-right base in her fourth bid for the presidency. She is joined on the right by Rafael Lopez Aliaga of Renovacion Popular, the conservative former mayor of Lima who recently resigned his post to launch his second presidential campaign.

Meanwhile, 80-year-old media mogul and former mayor Ricardo Belmont has emerged as a potent anti-establishment figure, surging in popularity as a direct response to the country's recent string of political crises.

Given the extreme fragmentation of the vote, analysts expect the two top contenders to face off in a decisive runoff election on June 7.

Beyond the presidency, Peruvians are voting for a new legislative body that marks a major structural change. For the first time in over three decades, the country is transitioning back to a bicameral system.

The new Congress will consist of a 60-member Senate, and a Chamber of Deputies with 130 representatives. All members of the new bicameral legislature will serve five-year terms.

This reform is specifically designed to provide greater political stability in a country that has seen eight presidents in the last 10 years due to frequent impeachments and executive-legislative deadlocks.

Voting is mandatory for citizens aged 18-70. According to the National Jury of Elections, more than 25 million registered voters are expected to take part.

Polling stations opened at 7 am local time (1200GMT) and are scheduled to close at 5 pm (2200GMT). The National Office of Electoral Processes said the first official preliminary results are expected late Sunday night, with a goal of having 60% of the votes counted by midnight.