Argentinians made a great effort to overcome the crisis and now it is the responsibility of politics to continue this path, shared Martín Arjol from the Radical sector. The suspension of the PASO was approved by the Chamber of Deputies with a wide margin and is now moving towards the Senate.
The project received 162 votes in favor, 55 against, and 28 abstentions, opening the possibility for the general elections to be held without a prior step of the PASO. The Government believes that this measure will give political parties more time to organize their candidacies without citizen intervention.
During the debate, a division among opposition parties was evident, with several blocks separating from the positions of the Civic Radical Union and other coalitions. The fragmentation in the chamber showed challenges in Cristina Kirchner’s leadership and dissatisfaction within the opposition.
The suspension of mandatory primaries for this year generated mixed opinions. Some legislators, like Miguel Ángel Pichetto, supported the initiative, pointing out that the 2019 PASO resulted in an economic and institutional crisis. On the other hand, there are criticisms regarding the decision to eliminate this mechanism of citizen participation.
Political analysts believe that this measure will benefit the Buenos Aires governor Axel Kicillof and allow him to concentrate the electoral campaign on his figure. Once the Senate ratifies the suspension of the PASO, a reorganization of the electoral calendar and political strategies is expected.
Arguments in favor focus on reducing costs and simplifying the electoral process, while critics highlight the importance of primaries as a democratic tool. The discussion continues regarding the benefits and drawbacks of eliminating these candidate selection instances.
