News Analysis: Economy and security major challenges for Peru's Kuczynski

Peru's president-elect Pedro Pablo Kuczynski will face stiff challenges in economy and public security over the next five years.

Analysts believe that Kuczynski, an accomplished economist who has served as minister of Economy and minister of Energy and Mines in previous governments, will provide a safe pair of hands for the economy.

However, he will be tasked with guiding Peru through a complex international environment, especially as Peru's economy is showing signs of a slowdown.

In 2015, Peru's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 3.26 percent, a net step down from previous years where it hovered around 6 percent.

Upon being declared winner of the election, one of Kuczynski's first statements was to call on all political parties to unite to improve the economy and create jobs.

"We have an economic problem...as growth is stagnating. This is a crucial topic for the future of the country which we have to face up to at once," he explained.

He added that some of his signature policies will be to diversify national sectors of productivity and to double tourism revenue, themes he said would anchor his actions over the next five years.

Kuczynski is also devoted to reducing informal labor within the Peruvian economy, in order to make the country a modern economy, with a healthy job market where young people can count on a good education and solid benefits.

Another theme of the winning campaign was to crack down on crime, as well as to modernize and reform security and police units, to make them better equipped to deal with current challenges.

According to a poll carried out earlier this year by Peru's Integration Institute, Peruvians see petty and organized crime as their most serious threat.

Alongside a reform of the police force, Kuczynski also wants to make the judicial system more agile, allowing it to quickly try serious criminals and those involved in corruption.

Kuczynski will also seek to hasten the building of new prisons near major cities, which will harbor the most dangerous criminals while rehabilitating them and teaching them a trade.

One of the main obstacles he will face in bringing his vision to life is the fact that his Peruvians for Change party only has 18 seats in the 130-member Congress.

The main opposition to his new government will be led by the party of his defeated rival, Keiko Fujimori, whose Popular Force controls an absolute majority with 73 lawmakers.

This means Kuczynski will be forced to build alliances with other political factors in order to get his laws approved and pass the reforms Peruvians are expecting. Enditem