Peru has had twelve constitutions (1823, 1826, 1828, 1834, 1839, 1856, 1860, 1867, 1920, 1933, 1979 and 1993), four provisional statutes (1821, 1855, 1879 and 1883) and one confederate constitution during
Peru–Bolivian Confederation (1837).
1823 Constitution The
Political Constitution of the Peruvian Republic () was written by the first
Constituent Congress of Peru and promulgated by President
José Bernardo de Tagle on November 12, 1823. It was almost completely suspended in order to allow
Simón Bolívar's
campaign to be planned carefully. It was re-established on June 11, 1827, and abolished the next year.
1826 Constitution The
Constitution for the Peruvian Republic (), also known as the
Lifetime Constitution () was written by Simón Bolívar and promulgated by a government council led by
Andrés de Santa Cruz. It was similar to the Bolivian constitution, and a planned
Colombian constitution, with the three countries being part of Bolívar's intent to establish a Federation in South America. The anti-Bolivarian sentiment that erupted in Peru at the time suspended the constitution after 49 days, with the 1823 constitution being re-established the next year.
1828 Constitution The
Political Constitution of the Peruvian Republic () was promulgated on March 18, 1828, by President
José de la Mar. Despite its short duration, its importance lies in the fact that it laid the constitutional foundations of Peru, serving as a model for the following constitutions, for almost a century.
1834 Constitution The
Political Constitution of the Peruvian Republic () was approved by the National Convention in Lima and promulgated on June 10, 1834, by provisional president
Luis José de Orbegoso. This document legally paved the way for the federation of Peru with Bolivia, and was soon abolished due to the establishment of the
Peru–Bolivian Confederation, which itself established two constitutions for its constituent countries of
North Peru and
South Peru.
1836 Constitutions After political instability in Peru and a coup d'état in 1835, a
civil war broke out between newly self-declared president
Felipe Santiago Salaverry and constitutional president
Luis José de Orbegoso, who allowed Bolivian president
Andrés de Santa Cruz to send his troops through the Peruvian border. After the latter's triumph in 1836, assemblies were soon established to make way for the creation of the Confederation, an idea that had been floating around since the
era of independence. In Peru, two assemblies were convened: the
Sicuani Assembly, which established South Peru, and the
Huaura Assembly, which established North Peru. Both states' constitutions prepared the countries' union with Bolivia to create the
Peru–Bolivian Confederation, first after its proclamation by decree, and then after an assembly that met in
Tacna, which authored the constitution of the state.
1839 Constitution The
Political Constitution of the Peruvian Republic () was approved by a General Congress in
Huancayo, leading to it being also known as the
Huancayo Constitution (). It was promulgated on November 10, 1839, by provisional president
Agustín Gamarra, and was of conservative nature, unlike its predecessors.
1856 Constitution The
Political Constitution of the Peruvian Republic () was approved by the National Convention in Lima after the successful
liberal revolution carried out against then president
José Rufino Echenique. It was promulgated on October 19, 1856, by provisional president
Ramón Castilla, and was of a very liberal character, leading to the
Peruvian Civil War of 1856–1858.
1860 Constitution The
Political Constitution of Peru () was approved by the Congress of the Republic and promulgated on November 13, 1860, by president Ramón Castilla. Due to the nature of the civil war of 1856–1858, it was a moderate constitution, agreed upon by both liberals and conservatives. It was replaced by an unpopular constitution in 1867 and then re-established on the same year.
1867 Constitution The
Political Constitution of Peru () was approved by the Constituent Assembly on August 29, 1867, and promulgated on the same day by provisional president
Mariano Ignacio Prado. Its extremely liberal nature led to a
civil war which ended Prado's presidency and re-established the 1860 constitution.
1920 Constitution The
Constitution for the Republic of Peru () was approved on December 27, 1919, and promulgated by president
Augusto B. Leguía on January 18, 1920. Of progressive nature, many of its contents were not enforced up until its replacement in 1933.
1933 Constitution The
Political Constitution of Peru () was promulgated on April 9, 1933, by president
Luis Miguel Sánchez Cerro. The
Revolutionary Government of the Armed Forces of Peru established in 1968 after a successful
coup d'état was the last to follow the constitution until its second phase, where president
Francisco Morales Bermúdez called for a new constitution to be established and for
general elections to be held.
1979 Constitution The
Constitution for the Republic of Peru () was promulgated on 12 July 1979 by a
Constituent Assembly elected in June 1978 following 10 years of military rule and replaced the suspended 1933 Constitution. It became effective in 1980 with the re-election of deposed President
Fernando Belaúnde Terry. It limited the president to a single five-year term and established a bicameral legislature consisting of a 60-member Senate (upper house) and a 180-member Chamber of Deputies (lower house). It also eliminated the
literacy requirement for voting and extended
suffrage to all adults 18 or older. == Proposed reform ==