Juntos por el Perú proposes law to facilitate constitutional referendum

The Juntos por el Perú parliamentary group has submitted a bill to repeal Law 31399 and modify Law 26300, aiming to facilitate a referendum for a new Constitution. The proposal, introduced by deputy Ernesto Zunini, seeks to remove legal barriers that currently require a two-thirds majority in Congress over two successive legislatures to bypass a referendum.

Under the new initiative, the authority to convene a citizen consultation would shift from the President of the Republic to electoral authorities, specifically the Jurado Nacional de Elecciones (JNE), which would be required to call the referendum within a maximum of four months.

Legal experts have raised concerns that the project could enable the calling of a Constituent Assembly not explicitly detailed in the current Constitution. Proponents argue the measure is necessary to prevent political representation from blocking the exercise of popular sovereignty.