Mid-term elections in Argentina: the ruling coalition loses ground in parliament – archyde

The legislative election of Sunday November 14 confirmed, broadly speaking, the trend announced by the open primaries of September 12: the Frente de todos party (“Front de tous”) of Peronist President Alberto Fernandez is overtaken by the opposition. center-right in most provinces, according to projections, based on 98% of the votes cast.

While his center-left coalition initially sought to advance to the lower house of parliament – where it lacked a majority – and retain its majority in the Senate, the election marks a setback in both assemblies, and above all, a loss of control of the Senate. Voters were called to renew 127 of the 257 deputies, and 24 of the 72 senators.

“In this new stage, we must give priority to national agreements”, reacted President Alberto Fernandez, in a recorded speech, broadcast Sunday evening, calling for “Constructive dialogue” and a relationship “Fruitful” between executive and parliamentary power.

“Millions of Argentines all over the country have said ‘basta'”, welcomed for her part Maria Eugenia Vidal, member of the opposition Juntos por el Cambio (“Together for change”), elected deputy, arrived by far in the lead in the city of Buenos Aires.

Election sanction

A first half of the mandate marked by the pandemic and an extended confinement in the capital and its region, in 2020, as well as a dying economy set the scene for this electoral sanction, two years before the presidential election in October 2023.

In October, inflation stood at 41.8%, well above the annual target of 29% set by the government. Poverty concerns 40.6% of the population, according to the latest data from the Argentine Statistical Institute (Indec). The economic recovery, with 7.5% growth expected this year according to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (Cepalc), remains relative after the nearly 10% drop in gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020.

“It’s a bad election for the ruling coalition, the loss of the majority proper to the Senate is unprecedented for the Peronists since the return to democracy in 1983. They find themselves in a situation of weakening and aging, without definition of their leadership ”, analysis Federico Zapata, political scientist and director of the Escenarios consulting firm.

In the wake of the rout of the primary elections – a sort of dress rehearsal – the cracks crossing the ruling coalition had emerged with force, generating a political crisis and a partial cabinet reshuffle, claimed by the vice-president and former head of state (2007-2015), Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

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