Only 20 laws were enacted in the first semester of 2023, which accounts for nearly half the laws enacted in the same period of 2022 (39), which shows a significant drop in parliamentary activity.
This results from a total 2,083 bills presented in Congress, discussed in a total 106 commission meetings, and a total 133 billion pesos of budget.
A report by Fundación Barbechando, an organisation working alongside Congress on any laws applicable to the farming sector, revealed that this first half of 2023 showed a sharp dip in legislative activity compared to the same period in 2022. Another number which dropped were the 6 sessions, since in the first semester of 2022 they had already been 10, 40% fewer.
The forecast of the foundation is that during the remainder of the year the activity will continue to be low: “The performance will continue to be low, but, towards the end of the year, with the change of government, irrespective of their political affiliation, 2024 is sure to be active”.
Thus, the report showed that less than 1% of bills presented were enacted. And commissions also dropped, since in the Chamber of Deputies over a quarter of commission meetings did not even take place, and in the Senate this number was 60%.
Chief of Cabinet Agustín Rossi attended over half the times to present his management report.
Parliamentary agenda vs main issues
Another approach of the report used was the Citizen Thermometer (April 2023) survey to identify “inflation”, “unsafety”, “unemployment” and “poverty” as the main issues facing the Argentines, whereas the measures passed by Congress were 50% linked to Healthcare and related issues (education, childhood and the elderly), 30% to general interest matters (agreements, culture, national holidays, natural reserves), 10% to the economy and a further 10% to justice.
For this reason, they aluded to a clear “lack of social and economic agenda”.
by PERFIL
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