Keiko Fujimori Leads in Tight Peruvian Election Race

Keiko Fujimori, a right-wing candidate and daughter of ex-President Alberto Fujimori, holds a narrow lead in the polls ahead of Peru's presidential election scheduled for next week. Three separate polls released on Sunday indicate Fujimori's lead amidst a crowded field of 35 presidential candidates, with no contender expected to secure over 50% of the vote. This lack of majority winner suggests a runoff election will likely occur on June 7.

According to a Datum International poll, undecided voters have decreased from 23.9% to 16.8%. Fujimori, who is running for the presidency for the fourth time, has increased her share to 14.5%, up from 13% in previous surveys. Meanwhile, former comedian Carlos Alvarez has surged into second place with 10.9%, climbing from 6.9%.

Ex-Lima mayor Rafael Lopez Aliaga, a far-right candidate, saw his support drop to 9.9% from an earlier 11.7%. The competition remains tight as Ipsos Peru and the Peruvian Market Research Company also show Fujimori leading, though these polls conflicted over whether Alvarez or Lopez Aliaga held the second position. Other notable contenders include Jorge Nieto, Ricardo Belmont, Robert Sanchez, and Alfonso Lopez Chau.