Candidate debate: Decisive week for Argentina’s political forces

Argentina’s political forces and movements have begun a decisive electoral week ending in a deadline for the formal nomination of candidates in the upcoming midterm elections.

The nation’s new and not-so new political alliances must define their candidates for senators and deputies by Sunday, August 17.

The deadline comes after last Thursday’s shut-off for the formal naming of party alliances.

President Javier Milei's government registered Alianza Libertad Avanza, which sees the libertarian leader’s party align with Mauricio Macri's rightist PRO.

In the coming days, the positions each party will occupy will be finalised. Negotiations are ongoing, with talks being led by Presidential Chief-of-Staff Karina Milei, who is La Libertad Avanza’s mastermind for all electoral districts.

La Libertad Avanza is desperate to boost its strength in Congress and its aggressive position for candidate rankings can be seen in negotiations.

In Buenos Aires City, PRO’s traditional bastion, La Libertad Avanza is expected to put up an initial two candidates for senators but will take the first four seats available in the lower house Chamber of Deputies, leaving only the fifth and sixth positions for the PRO.

It is expected that in the rest of the provinces, including Buenos Aires Province, libertarian candidates will lead the Alianza Libertad Avanza slate.

For the opposition Peronist movement, its Partido Justicialista (PJ) registered the Fuerza Patria banner, although its fragility meant that united lists were posted in only 14 out of 24 electoral districts (23 provinces plus Buenos Aires City).

The main electoral battle will take place in Buenos Aires Province, where the top spot on the list of candidates for the lower house Chamber of Deputies is being fiercely contested by factions loyal to former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (jailed and serving house arrest), Buenos Aires Province Governor Axel Kicillof and Frente Renovador leader Sergio Massa.

Top spot could reportedly go to La Cámpora leader Máximo Kirchner, the former president’s son, although it has been reported that Massa himself could also be in the running.

It also remains to be seen whether Juan Grabois' Frente Patria Grande will rejoin the Peronists under Fuerza Patria or run separately. No agreement has yet been reached.

The Provincias Unidas space, promoted by dissident governors from the PRO, PJ and Unión Cívica Radical camps, hopes to emerge as the strongest third option in the midterms.

Provincial leaders Ignacio Torres (Chubut), Carlos Sadir (Jujuy), Maximiliano Pullaro (Santa Fe), Claudio Vidal (Santa Cruz) and Martín Llaryora (Córdoba) are sponsoring the new electoral option, which has ties to several districts.

In Buenos Aires City, provincial leaders aligned themselves with the Unión Cívica Radical, GEN and the Partido Socialista, thanks to an agreement which will see Facundo Manes heading the senatorial slate with outgoing Senator Martín Lousteau the top candidate for national deputy.

– TIMES/NA