Too Traditional? Voting and Gender Gap in Peru, 2000–2021

Between 2000 and 2021, Peru held seven presidential elections, and female candidates garnered significant support in six of them. Despite progress in gender equity values, a persistent traditional gender gap remains in political behavior. Female voters in Peru continue to lean toward conservative candidates and parties more often than men do. Using data from the World Values Survey (1996–2018) and the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (2000–2021), this chapter explores the gender gap in electoral behavior, political participation, and attitudes toward gender equity. Whereas women in Peru exhibit more-progressive values, particularly among younger cohorts, these values do not consistently translate into progressive voting behavior. Instead, women tend to support conservative female candidates, particularly those opposed to gender equity and reproductive rights. This paradox may be explained by the instability and fragmentation of Peru’s party system, which hinders the consolidation of coherent political platforms, including progressive political agendas.