Argentina
The ruling party reopens the PASO debate in the Senate and weighs an alternative if it cannot secure the votes
The Constitutional Affairs Committee was called to an informational meeting on bills involving primaries and Clean Record. According to Clarín, the Government is seeking support to eliminate the PASO, although it is also considering making them optional.
The Senate will resume debate on political reform this Tuesday amid ruling-party negotiations to secure backing for eliminating the PASO. According to Clarín, the Constitutional Affairs Committee was summoned for an informational meeting and, for now, no move toward committee reports is planned.
According to that outlet, the call made by Agustín Coto added to the agenda initiatives by Martín Goerling, Mariana Juri and Julieta Corroza on Clean Record, as well as a bill by Edith Terenzi to remove the mandatory nature of the primaries. The gesture is aimed at sectors such as the UCR and the PRO, which so far do not support eliminating the PASO.
According to Clarín, ruling-party officials acknowledged that the votes are not yet there to approve the change. Since this is an electoral reform, a majority of 37 votes is needed in the upper house. In that context, the Government’s main objective remains to abolish the primaries, although it is also considering as an alternative making them optional.
Clarín reported that Karina Milei hardened pressure on governors and allies with the warning that there will be no political agreements with those who do not back the initiative. At the same time, the ruling party is also seeking support from lawmakers linked to provincial governors such as Hugo Passalacqua, Rolando Figueroa, Raúl Jalil, Osvaldo Jaldo and possibly Gustavo Sáenz.
The Executive Branch bill not only includes changes to the PASO. It also proposes changes to party financing, stricter requirements to compete in elections, the addition of a box to vote for a full slate on the single paper ballot and the disqualification of people with convictions upheld on appeal for intentional crimes against public administration.
According to Clarín, the ruling party will also try to hold a session in the Senate this Thursday to address the reform of the Central Bank’s Organic Charter and the so-called fiscal innocence bill. At the same time, the sending of the 2027 budget to the Chamber of Deputies will overlap with these negotiations, in a week of a packed legislative agenda.
Sources
About this note. Written by El Notero with assistance from artificial intelligence, based on what was published by the cited outlet. El Notero did not do its own reporting on this event.
