Andina

Peru PM: It is urgent to save democracy from corruption

12:23 | Lima, Jun. 4.

Prime Minister Salvador del Solar on Tuesday affirmed the Executive Branch decided to introduce the confidence motion, as it deems as "urgent" saving the national democracy from the scourge of corruption.

"(…) It is urgent to prevent the people, who have committed criminal offenses, from representing us. We must encourage the citizens, who have service vocation, to participate in politics and get Peruvians to trust the authorities," the high-ranking official expressed.

According to him, the confidence motion has been introduced "because our country's politics cannot remain as they are."

Likewise, Del Solar recalled Congress' Constitution Commission did not prioritize the political reform bills —as the Constitution demands— and that this group shelved —without any major debate— the Executive Branch's proposal on amending the parliamentary immunity

Furthermore, he mentioned one of the reasons to present the confidence motion was the Permanent Commission's decision to close the file on the constitutional complaint against ex-Attorney General Pedro Chavarry, who is accused of wrongdoings.

"After this accumulation of signs, we considered it is appropriate to introduce this confidence motion to Congress, and we ask for the political support that a reform of such relevance needs, so we can regain citizens' trust," the Prime Minister concluded. 


Confidence motion


Via this mechanism, a State Minister —on an individual basis— or the Prime Minister —on behalf of the Cabinet— can ask Congress for a vote of confidence regarding a law or government initiative, according to articles 132 and 133 of the Constitution.

Under article 133 of the Constitution, the denial of the confidence leads to a total crisis in the Cabinet.

Article 134 of the Constitution states that the President of the Republic has the power to close Congress if the latter has passed the motion of censure or denied the vote of confidence to two Cabinets.

As is known, the current Congress had already granted a no-confidence vote to a former Cabinet in September 2017. At that time, Mr. Vizcarra was serving as Vice-President.

(END) CCR/DTK/MVB

Published: 6/4/2019