El marc polític d'Argentina

Political Outline

Current Political Leaders

President: Javier Milei (since 10 December 2023); the president is both chief of state and head of government.

Next Election Dates

President: October 2027
Legislative (Senate and Chamber of Deputies): October 2025

Current Political Context

Argentina conducted general elections on October 22, 2023, to elect the president, vice president, members of the National Congress, and governors of most provinces. The incumbent president Alberto Fernández and former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who was also the incumbent vice president and eligible for re-election to a consecutive term, opted not to seek another term in office. With no presidential candidate securing a majority in the initial round, a runoff occurred on November 19. In the runoff, Javier Milei emerged victorious over Sergio Massa to assume the presidency of Argentina.
New President Javier Milei described himself as an 'anarcho-capitalist' and is pursuing libertarian policies. In 2024, Argentina's political landscape was characterized by decisive legislative and executive actions. To lower the fiscal deficit and draw in foreign investment, the administration unveiled a comprehensive tax overhaul in February. Opposition groups, led by the Union for the Homeland and elements of the Radical Civic Union, argued that the measures could exacerbate economic disparity, sparking contentious discussions in Congress. Furthermore, to improve hiring and firing flexibility, the Chamber of Deputies adopted a labour market reform in March. However, trade unions staged demonstrations all around the country to call for more robust protections for workers' rights.There was uncertainty for both domestic and foreign investors throughout the year as a result of court decisions that contested a number of executive decrees pertaining to the privatization of state-owned businesses. Though its power was constrained by internal conflicts, a new legislative alliance called Hacemos Coalición Federal appeared in July to heal divisions among moderate opposition lawmakers.In an effort to increase regional autonomy and decentralize decision-making, the Senate passed amendments in September that transferred certain administrative authority to province governments. Political polarization increased as a result of these actions and continuing disagreements over economic policy, setting the stage for a contentious election cycle in 2025.

Main Political Parties

The main parties/coalitions in Argentina include:

- Freedom Advances (La Libertad Avanza - LLA): far-right political coalition, holding conservative and ultraconservative positions on social and cultural matters, while adopting right-wing libertarian or ultra-liberal stances on economic issues. It is led by Javier Milei, who was elected Presiden in the 2023 Argentine general election
- Union for the Homeland (Unión por la Patria, UP): political and electoral coalition of Peronist political parties, it is the main opposition coalition
- Republican Proposal (Propuesta Republicana - PRO): right-wing, with center-right and far-right factions
- Radical Civic Union (Unión Cívica Radical - UCR): centrist, liberal
- Hacemos Coalición Federal (HCF): political/parliamentary alliance that unified the blocs Hacemos por Nuestro País, Coalición Cívica ARI, and Cambio Federal in the Chamber of Deputies
- Federal Peronism (Peronismo Federal): moderate, centrist, or right-wing Peronism, primarily recognized for its opposition to Kirchnerism, the left-wing faction of Peronism.

Executive Power

Executive power is held by the President of the Argentine nation and is his/her responsibility to respond to national interests. The President is the Head of the Government and the Chief of State, the individual responsible for the general administration of the country and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. The President is elected by universal suffrage for a four-year term and can be re-elected for a subsequent consecutive term of office. The Vice President is elected alongside the President. The President appoints individuals to the Council of Ministers.
Argentina has 23 provinces and one autonomous federal district - each retains some powers that do not belong to the federal government and elects its own legislators and provincial governors.

Legislative Power

The legislative power is held by the bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional). The Chamber of Deputies (the lower house) is comprised of 257 members, which are elected to four-year terms by direct universal suffrage, with half of the membership renewed every two years. The Senate (upper house) is comprised of 72 members, which are elected to six-year terms by direct universal suffrage - with one third of the members elected every two years.

Indicator of Freedom of the Press

World Rank:

69/180

Indicator of Political Freedom

Ranking:

Free

Political Freedom:

2/7

Political freedom in the world (interactive map)
Source: Freedom in the World Report, Freedom House