Argentina
Milei Seeks to Avoid a Primary in the Center Right as Tensions Grow With Allies
According to Clarín, the ruling coalition is pushing electoral changes amid doubts about its political strength and open negotiations with the PRO and other partners. At the same time, Mauricio Macri is preparing a visit to Jujuy and could add a sign of Hernán Lacunza’s national projection.
The Government is returning this week to a sensitive debate in the Senate with the intention of moving ahead on the PASO system, in a context in which Javier Milei, according to Clarín, is seeking for the center right to reach 2027 with a single candidacy behind him and without internal competition.
According to that outlet, the debate will reopen in the Constitutional Affairs Committee and will cover three areas: a reform without PASO, the Ficha Limpia bill and an initiative to make the primaries less mandatory. In that scenario, the ruling coalition’s allies are not showing any willingness to eliminate the system unless they obtain political guarantees for their own electoral survival.
Clarín reported that in talks with the PRO, support for the primaries remains in place. Within that space, Cristian Ritondo and Fernando de Andreis are maintaining negotiations with government interlocutors, while also voicing complaints about Pilar Ramírez’s confrontation with Jorge Macri in the City.
The report also placed Patricia Bullrich within that discussion. According to Clarín, the minister admits that the votes are not there today to eliminate the PASO, although she is pushing for the electoral reform to begin being debated now.
In the Senate, moreover, the outlook has become more uncertain for Casa Rosada. Clarín said the Government no longer shows the control it once had over that chamber and is even facing doubts about its ability to gather support for other bills. In that context, the so-called Súper RIGI was also stalled, which the newspaper described as an initiative that lost momentum because of allies’ rejection.
Meanwhile, Mauricio Macri is preparing a party activity in Jujuy for next week. According to Clarín, the event will have a regional profile but will include the presence of national PRO leaders and could include a meeting with Radical governor Carlos Sadir, one of the officials negotiating positions with the Nation.
The same outlet added that it is not closed, but will be discussed in the coming days, whether Hernán Lacunza will travel to Jujuy to appear alongside Macri. Clarín indicated that the economist is moving as a presidential pre-candidate, that he has already spoken at least twice with the former president about that possibility and that he is working with a technical team while combining that activity with his role as a consultant to Banco de Córdoba.
At the same time, there are also movements within the Radical Party. Clarín mentioned that some sectors are promoting a presidential pre-candidacy for Gustavo Valdés and that the UCR is trying to assert its territorial and parliamentary weight within a possible internal contest of the non-Peronist camp.
Another political focus mentioned by Clarín is the Malvinas issue. The newspaper said the Government is seeking to reinforce its message on the matter and bring bills to Congress, while the opposition is also preparing initiatives. Among them, it attributed to Peronist leader Guillermo Michel two bills to toughen sanctions linked to activity around the islands and to review tax benefits tied to Great Britain.
Sources
About this note. Written by El Notero with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on what was published by the cited outlet. El Notero did not conduct its own reporting on this event.
