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Election Date: October 23, 2005

At stake: National Congress

Background

One of the largest economies in Latin America, Argentina is still recovering form its 2001 financial collapse and the sequels of brutal military dictatorships.

In 1943, the armed forces took control of the country. Three years later, a huge majority elected Juan Domingo Perón—chief of the army colonels leading the junta—as Argentina's president.

In 1949, a constitutional amendment allowed Perón to seek a new term as president. The Peronist or Justicialist Party (PJ) was then created, as the head of state established a populist dictatorship. For more than a decade, Perón relied on the support of the army and the clergy and—with the help of his popular wife Eva Duarte de Perón—secured the backing of labour unions as well.

In 1955, a coup forced Perón into exile. U.S-supported governments took control of the South American nation, as both Peronists and Communists were virtually absent from the political loop in the 1960s. Perón returned to Argentina in 1972, and was elected president in 1973. He died a year later, and was substituted by his widow, Isabel Martínez de Perón.

In 1975, violence took over the nation as inflation reached 300 per cent. A year later, Jorge Rafael Videla led a coup to topple the government. The military dissolved the legislative branch, and launched a "Dirty War" against opponents. Hundreds of Argentines were killed, and thousands more—whose situation remains uncertain to this day—are referred to as "disappeared."

In 1982, Argentina took control of the British-held Falkland Islands—or Islas Malvinas—claiming sovereignty over the territory. A four-month military conflict ended with a victory for British forces. The defeat prompted more protests against Argentina's severely weakened military rulers.

In October 1983, democracy was restored with the victory of Raúl Alfonsín of the Radical Civic Union (UCR) in the presidential ballot. Six years later, Peronist candidate Carlos Menem was elected, immediately instituting an austerity program.

In 1991, the Menem government—through economy minister Domingo Cavallo—decided to peg the peso to the U.S. dollar in an effort to combat inflation. The practice worked well during the 1990s, as Argentina's economy was able to escape the devaluations affronted by Mexico in 1995, and Brazil in 1999. Menem also privatized several state-run businesses and liberalized trade, to establish Argentina as an economic force in South America.

In the 1999 presidential election, Fernando de la Rúa of the centre-left Alianza coalition—encompassing the UCR and the Front for a Country in Solidarity (FREPASO)—defeated Peronist candidate Eduardo Duhalde.

By 2000, the country could no longer keep the peso's fixed exchange rate. The situation took a turn for the worse in 2001, as a decline in consumer confidence provoked substantial withdrawals from banks. By late 2001, amid violent protests and riots, Cavallo—in his second stint as economy minister—resigned his post. De la Rúa quickly followed suit after 25 people died on street demonstrations.

In January 2002, the National Congress picked Duhalde as interim president. At the time of Duhalde's selection, more than half of all Argentines were living in poverty, and the national currency had lost over two thirds of its value.

In 2003, Néstor Kirchner of the Peronist, left-wing driven Front for Victory (FV) became Argentina's new president.

Click here for Argentina 2003 Presidential Election Tracker

Kirchner signed a new deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The president's mandate has focused primarily on economic recovery and an investigation on human rights abuses committed during the military dictatorship.

In April 2004, an international arrest warrant was issued for former president Carlos Menem for fraud. The warrant was cancelled in December.

Crime has been a persistent problem in the country since the start of the economic crisis. Families of kidnapping victims paid an estimated $1 billion U.S. in ransoms in 2003 and 2004.

In December 2004, 193 people were killed in a fire at a Buenos Aires nightclub. The tragedy became a major political issue in the country.

2005 National Congress Election

In March 2005, Néstor Kirchner said the measures to restructure the country's debt had been successful. The president is now looking for a new agreement with the IMF, in order to delay the payment of $3.5 billion U.S dollars due by December 2005.

A May OPSM/Página 12 poll put Kirchner's approval rating at 79.1 per cent. The president has said the legislative ballot—which will renew the Chamber of Deputies and one-third of the Senate—is in effect a "plebiscite" to reassure his mandate.

On Jun. 11, foreign minister Rafael Bielsa announced he would run for a lower house seat as part of Kirchner's Front for Victory (FV) in Buenos Aires. The capital district is home to close to 40 per cent of the country's voters. Bielsa has faced criticism from his main opponents—Mauricio Macri of the centre-right Commitment for Change (CC) and Elisa Carrió of the leftist Alliance Affirmation for an Egalitarian Republic (ARI)—for not quitting his cabinet position while he is a candidate.

On Jun. 14, Argentina's Supreme Court ruled that the immunity laws of "Due Obedience and Full Stop"—which effectively protected former military officers from prosecution for abuses committed during the country's dictatorships—are unconstitutional.

On Jun. 15, a federal judge ruled against a decree signed and supported by Kirchner, which would allow parties that are still in their development stage to take part in the legislative ballot. The ruling will be appealed. Former president Carlos Menem—who is running for a Senate seat in the La Rioja province as a Popular Front (FP) candidate— has criticized Kirchner for this decree.

On Jun. 16, centre-right opposition candidate Ricardo López Murphy accused the government of organizing demonstrations against him. López Murphy—a neo-conservative and former member of the Radical Party (PR)—is running for senator in Buenos Aires.

Also on Jun. 16, a spokesman for Cristina Fernández de Kirchner announced that Argentina's current first lady will launch her campaign for the senate in Buenos Aires on Jul. 26.

A June Ricardo Rouvier y Asociados survey gave Fernández de Kirchner the support of 41.1 per cent of respondents in the Buenos Aires province Senate election, followed by former first lady Hilda González de Duhalde with 18.6 per cent, and López Murphy with 12.4 per cent. Fernández de Kirchner and González de Duhalde are both members of the Peronist Justicialist Party (PJ), but could end up running on separate tickets. Buenos Aires is home to 36 per cent of the South American nation's eligible voters.

A July Ricardo Rouvier y Asociados poll put Fernández de Kirchner well ahead with 52.7 per cent, followed by González de Duhalde with 29.7 per cent. In the race for the Chamber of Deputies, Elisa Carrió of the Alliance Affirmation for an Egalitarian Republic (ARI) was first in Buenos Aires with 28.3 per cent, followed by Mauricio Macri of Commitment for Change (CC) with 26.1 per cent, Rafael Bielsa of the FV with 14.3 per cent, Patricia Bullrich of Union for Everyone (UPT) with 7.1 per cent, and Luis Zamora of Autonomy and Liberation (AyL) with 6.2 per cent.

A late August CEOP poll gave Macri a slight edge in Buenos Aires' Chamber of Deputies election with 20.5 per cent, followed by Carrió with 19.1 per cent and Bielsa with 17.6 per cent.

On Aug. 25, Fernández de Kirchner praised the current government, calling it "the end of a non-industrialized and indebted Argentina" which "now takes into account the interests of the population."

An early September Poliarquía Consultores poll had Fernández de Kirchner leading the senatorial election in Buenos Aires with 37.9 per cent, followed by González de Duhalde with 14.6 per cent and López Murphy with 6.1 per cent.

On Sept. 6, López Murphy lamented the current state of politics in the South American nation, declaring, "The true political debate we face is between a state dominated by a totalitarian party, and a truly democratic state."

According to existing regulations for senatorial elections, the winning ticket elects two members to the upper house, with the second-place finisher taking a third seat.

On Sept. 7, José Pampuro—the current defence minister and Fernández de Kirchner´s running mate—expressed satisfaction with the FV campaign, saying, "I have been through many elections, and I see us achieving a large victory in the whole province."

On Oct. 20, Macri declared, "I would have preferred to see (Argentinean president Néstor) Kirchner governing, rather than campaigning."

In all, 50 candidates are vying for 13 lower house seats in Buenos Aires. The first 11 seats will be distributed among the top three vote-getters and their party associates.

Also on Oct. 20, the current first lady urged supporters to come out in force, saying, "This is not just another election. We should all be united under one flag." Fernández de Kirchner will not be able to cast a ballot in Buenos Aires, because her name does not appear in the electoral roll. González de Duhalde said she would seek to "set limits" if she becomes a senator, adding, "Over the past six years, it has been evident that poverty has grown in the province."

Voting took place on Oct. 23. Preliminary results suggest Kirchner's Front for Victory (FV) will receive 40 per cent of all cast ballots, enough for 110 lawmakers in the lower house. In the Buenos Aires senatorial race, first lady Cristina Fernández de Kirchner earned a seat with 44 per cent of the vote.

On Oct. 24, cabinet chief of staff Alberto Fernández called the election "almost a plebiscite on the current administration (which) showed a huge level of support all over the country."

Macri—who finished first in the Buenos Aires lower house ballot—said his political organization now has created "great national expectations" for the 2007 election, adding, "Argentina needs a balanced democratic system, with an alternative to the government that can be capable of taking over."

Carrió said the Alliance Affirmation for an Egalitarian Republic (ARI) had reaffirmed its position as the "third largest party in the country," adding, "We now know clearly that Kirchner has received a vote of confidence."

Final results gave the Front for Victory 50 of the 127 seats at stake, followed by the Radical Civic Union (UCR) with 10, and the Justicialist Party (PJ) and Republican Proposal (REPRO) with nine each.

The FV also secured 14 of the 24 Senate seats, while other Peronist factions secured four spots, and the UCR elected two lawmakers to the upper house. Former president Carlos Menem earned a minority upper house seat in La Rioja.

Political Players

President: Néstor Kirchner - FV
Vice-president: Daniel Scioli - FV

The president and vice-president are elected—in the same ticket—by popular vote to a four-year term.

Legislative Branch: The Congreso Nacional (National Congress) has two chambers. The Cámara de Diputados de la Nación (Chamber of Deputies of the Nation) has 257 members, elected by proportional representation to four-year terms, with half of the seats renewed every two years. The Senado de la Nación (Senate of the Nation) has 72 members, elected to six-year terms. One-third of the Senate is renewed every two years.

Results of Last Election:

President - Apr. 27 and May 18, 2003

Note: Menem and Kirchner were supposed to participate in a run-off on May 18, but Menem withdrew from the contest.

Chamber of Deputies - Oct. 23, 2005
(127 of 257 seats at stake)

Chamber of Senators - Oct. 23, 2005
(24 of 72 seats at stake)

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