A slow-moving crisis: the challenges of local democratic governance in Peru

Despite efforts to improve governance in Peru since the transition to democracy in 2001, a deficit in democratic local governance has been growing. While most attention has focused on the national factors affecting governance, little research has addressed subnational factors. Efforts to bolster local democratic governance in Peru have been hindered by entrenched dynamics in this multilevel government structure. This chapter explores three overlapping, self-reinforcing challenges that ultimately impede the development of local government capacity, representation, and accountability. It begins with an overview of the multilevel governance structure to map out how local governments are situated within the political system. It then details how political instability, a cumbersome decentralization process and a weak party system interact to undermine accountability, representation, and government capacity at the local level. Finally, it explores how these challenges have curtailed the effectiveness of policies meant to facilitate better local governance.