Negotiations between LaLibertad Avanza (LLA) and the dialoguing blocks will resume next Tuesday to seek an agreement on one of the central projects of the Government, which is the elimination of the PASO, and which the ruling party wants to sanction on February 6.
Parliamentary sources indicated to the Argentine News Agency that the meeting will take place in the Chamber of Deputies and will be led by its president, Martín Menem, who will be accompanied by the Deputy Chief of Cabinet, José Rolandi, and the Secretary of Strategic Regulatory Planning, María Ibarzabal. Additionally, the leaders of the LLA blocks, Gabriel Bornoroni, and the MID, Oscar Zago, will attend.
The ruling party's intention is to reach agreements to sanction the project that eliminates primary elections, which is opposed by the PRO, UCR, and Encuentro Federal because some of these blocks would only agree to suspend the PASO and consider another reform next year.
The Chief of Cabinet, Guillermo Francos, expressed last Tuesday to Ritondo and De Loredo that the Government's priority is to eliminate the PASO, as it generates an expense of 150 million dollars. Francos also conveyed to the dialoguing senators last Wednesday that the central issue is the PASO and, on that occasion, acknowledged that if the qualified majority is not met to approve that initiative, the suspension of those elections for the legislative elections could be considered.
The president of the LLA Senate block, Ezequiel Atauche, admitted that if there is no consensus on elimination, a suspension could be advanced. The ruling party wants, first, to close negotiations with the PRO, UCR, Encuentro Federal (EF), and Innovación Federal, which together hold 81 votes, although it is still unclear how many votes EF will contribute, where positions within that party are divided among former macristas, Cordobeses, Entrerrianos, Chubutenses, and socialists.
LLA has 39 votes and, if it manages to gain the support of Independencia, Producción y Trabajo, MID, Creo, and the Catamarqueño Peronists, it could reach around 50 votes.
