Yesterday, the Peruvian Congress gave a vote of confidence to President Martín Vizcarra after the opposition backed his plans for a referendum on judicial and political reforms, avoiding the risk of a dissolution if they had voted against it.
“The congressmen cast 82 votes in favor and 22 against, with 14 abstentions, in a vote late on Wednesday after more than nine hours of debate”, informed Perfil.
The President had called for a vote of confidence to change the Constitution after a series of corruption scandals involving judges of the Supreme Court had surfaced in the past few months.
“A vote against the cabinet would have been the second since the 2016 elections, which would have entitled Vizcarra to dissolve Congress and call new parliamentary elections”, the aforementioned media explained.
The President’s proposals include stricter rules for financing campaigns, changes in the way magistrates are appointed and the re-establishment of a high chamber in Congress. Vizcarra wants to accelerate changes to the Constitution and submit them to a referendum on December 9.
This period of time was compromised when the Popular Force party of the opposition delayed the debate and the approval of the four proposals, which led Vizcarra to request a vote of confidence.
