ARGENTINA · POLITICS
Argentina’s government wants the Senate to suspend the country’s mandatory party primaries within two weeks, officials of President Javier Milei’s party, La Libertad Avanza, say. The plan is a target, not a done deal, because allied parties say nobody has told them of an agreement.
For US readers, the vote matters because President Javier Milei, Argentina’s libertarian leader, needs Congress to pass his agenda, including the 2027 budget. The Senate, Argentina’s upper chamber, has 72 seats, and the bill needs 37 votes.
Key Facts
- Who Cabinet chief Diego Santilli is lining up votes; Senate bloc leader Patricia Bullrich wants to see them first.
- What The bill would suspend the PASO, Argentina’s mandatory party primaries, rather than abolish them.
- When Officials want a committee report next week and a Senate vote seven days later, unconfirmed.
- Votes The bill needs 37 of 72 senators; allied parties reportedly have not confirmed a deal.
- Power Index Argentina ranks 4th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 60.2 points (November 2026 edition).
What Is Happening in the Senate
The push follows Pope Leo XIV‘s four-day visit, which ended when he left Argentina on Wednesday 11 November 2026. Officials of the ruling La Libertad Avanza party say they want the Senate’s Constitutional Affairs Committee, chaired by Senator Agustín Coto of the same party, to meet next week and sign off on the bill.
If the committee agrees, the full Senate could vote seven days later, the same officials say. Passing the Senate would be only the first step, because the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house, must also approve the bill.
The officials say they aim to finish the reform in December, in extraordinary sessions, which are special sittings of Congress outside the normal calendar. The Rio Times could not confirm these dates with the Senate, so they are the officials’ targets, not a decision.
Why the Primaries Are the Sticking Point
The PASO are open primary elections that every party must hold before the general vote. The government sent its reform bill to the Senate in April 2026, and the committee began debating it on 13 May.
Ruling-party officials say they have accepted that they lack the votes to abolish the primaries and will settle for suspending them. In September, allied parties asked to handle Ficha Limpia, a proposed ban on candidates convicted on appeal, separately from the primaries.
What Else Is in the Bill
- Ficha Limpia (“clean record”), a rule that would bar people convicted on appeal of intentional crimes from running for office or holding public posts.
- Party rules: changes to party funding and to the rules for registering parties.
Santilli, the cabinet chief, has spent months meeting governors of allied provinces to win their senators’ votes. Ruling-party officials say some governors want pacts not to run against them in 2027 before they commit those votes.
What It Means for You
For holders of Argentine bonds and US-listed shares, the practical question is whether Milei can assemble 37 votes before the 2027 election. The first signal will be whether the Constitutional Affairs Committee meets next week.
S&P Global Ratings, a US credit-rating agency, raised Argentina’s rating to B- from CCC+ on 10 June 2026. The outlook is stable.
Read our coverage of how Argentine provinces are splitting their votes from Milei and the 2027 budget fight inside his camp. Follow Argentina news for the next steps.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether the committee will meet next week or whether the votes are there. Reported, not confirmed: the PRO, a centre-right party, and the UCR, the Radical Civic Union, both government allies, say they have received no concrete information about a deal.
People close to Bullrich say she wants proof of the votes before the bill reaches the floor. Until the committee meets, the timetable remains the officials’ target, not a decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the PASO in Argentina?
PASO stands for open, simultaneous and mandatory primaries. They are held before general elections so that voters can choose each party’s candidates.
How many votes does the government need?
It needs 37 of the 72 senators, an absolute majority. The ruling party needs allies to reach that number.
When could the Senate vote?
Ruling-party officials target a committee report next week and a floor vote about seven days later. Neither date is confirmed.
When is Argentina’s next presidential election?
It is scheduled for Sunday 24 October 2027. The reform would change how parties choose their candidates before then.
Sources: Senado de la Nación Argentina, Constitutional Affairs Committee (senado.gob.ar); statements of ruling-party officials and allied parties, 11 November 2026; S&P Global Ratings, Argentina sovereign rating, 10 June 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error