The Argentine government announced its intention to reform the country's electoral system, sending a proposal to Congress that includes the elimination of Open, Simultaneous, and Mandatory Primaries (PASO), modifications to the Organic Law of Political Parties, and changes to the financing system of competing political forces.
Presidential spokesman, Manuel Adorni, argued that the PASO, established in 2011, have forced Argentines to vote three times and have resulted in a high economic cost. Adorni noted that in 2023, the PASO had a cost of 45.445 billion pesos, considering historical and real values.
Regarding the modification of the Organic Law of Political Parties, the government seeks to improve electoral representativeness and avoid the proliferation of "rubber stamps" with merely revenue-raising objectives. According to the proposal, political groups must have 0.5% of members from the electoral roll and achieve a minimum of 3% of votes in two consecutive elections. Additionally, national parties will be required to have a presence in at least ten districts instead of the current five.
As for the electoral financing regime, the proposal suggests eliminating state funding for political campaigns and caps on private donations in order to reduce public spending and increase transparency of resources received by parties. If the law is approved, the limits on private contributions would increase, the spaces for electoral advertising would be eliminated, and a single annual contribution proportional to electoral results would be maintained.
Furthermore, it is proposed to reduce the prohibition on conducting surveys before elections from 8 to 3 days, and the creation of the figure of the attorney general before the National Electoral Chamber is contemplated. The government states that political groups will have until 2026 to adapt to the new regulations.
