ABSTRACT
Constitutional situation Argentine consolidation of democracy began in 1983, part of a regional pattern started few years earlier. 1 Before that, democracy had a long but unstable story in the country. The fi rst government elected by (male) universal suffrage took place in 1916, opening a democratic period that lasted until military intervention in 1930. Having been an active member of the former authoritarian regime, Perón initiated a second democratic period of nine years from 1946, again interrupted by a military coup. For the same reason, none of the following four popularly elected presidents between 1955 and 1983 could fi nish their mandates. In sum, out of 27 presidents of the country since the implementation of popular suffrage, only 12 were constitutionally elected, 9 of them by popular election. Following 1983, democratic alternation became the rule. Presidents may not end their mandates but both their exits and replacements are managed within constitutional boundaries ( Table 12.1 ). 2
The basic institutional arrangement has been much steadier. The Argentine political system is presidential, federal and bicameral since its fi rst constitution of 1953. 3 As a presidential system, the chief executive is both the head of state and the head of the government, is granted almost total control over the cabinet and is elected for a fi xed term – then independent from Congress in terms of duration in offi ce. 4 Following the last constitutional amendment in 1994, the president and the vice-president are elected in one ballot, for a four-year term, by direct popular vote using a run-off voting system: there must be a second round if no candidate gets more than 45 per cent of the affi rmative valid votes, or more than 40 per cent of the affi rmative valid votes with a difference of 10 percentage points from the second. 5 Immediate re-election is allowed only once. 6 As a federal system, Argentina is composed of sub-national units – 23 provinces plus the capital city – with autonomy to choose their own rulers and pass their own legislation, albeit subordinate to the federal legal framework. 7 The national Congress has two chambers. The Chamber of Deputies has 257 members, elected for a four-year term in each of the 24 electoral districts by proportional representation, with half the seats renewed every two years in all districts. The Senate has 72 members elected for a six-year term in 24 three-seat constituencies (with two seats awarded to the largest
party or coalition and one seat to the second largest party or coalition). One-third of the constituencies are renewed every two years.
