At an accelerated pace, the united opposition will seek to give half sanction in the Chamber of Deputies, next Wednesday, to the draft Single Paper Ballot (BUP) that would run for elections of national positions: president and vice, and deputies and senators.
This reform is rejected by the Frente de Todos: Cristina Kirchner herself spoke against it and closing ranks with her vice president at least on this matter, President Alberto Fernández also expressed his rejection.
The truth is that after a month of debate and informative meetings in a plenary session of commissions in Deputies, Together for Change, the Federal interbloc and other allies on this issue, managed to sign the majority opinion last Tuesday.
Thus, there could be a single ballot for the general elections, as shown in the sketch that accompanies the opposition project.
This Thursday, without wasting time and after confirming in internal counts that they have the votes to approve it, they moved forward with the request for a special session -raised to the president of the Chamber, Sergio Massa, with the signature of 35 deputies who support the single ballot-. It will be next Wednesday at 10 in the morning and for now, it is the only point to be discussed in the session.
“Schedule everyone, Wednesday 6/8 at 10 a.m.,” Mario Negri, head of the UCR bloc, tweeted this Thursday just past noon, confirming the request for a session. And he celebrated: “More electoral transparency for a more robust democracy.” .
The issue bothers the ruling party, which stood up for the refusal, He maintains that “this is not the time” to give a debate that is not a “priority” for society and questions that the opposition imposed it in an “untimely” manner.
The recent history of this play dates back to May 5, when surprisingly the united opposition gathered the will to move forward, and in the room there were 132 votes (against 116 rejections from the ruling party and 3 abstentions from the left) to place the delayed formation of the Commissions for Constitutional Affairs and Justice, with mandate to initiate debate on BUPand rule on May 31, as it happened.
In between, there were conferences with exhibitors, who mostly defended the convenience of going to the BUP systeminstead of the current party ballot or sheet.
voting floor
The opposition and the blocs that support the BUP hope to have next week around the same votes that they added with the location. There will be counted Together for Change (116), the Federal Interblock (8), the two Rio Negro from Together We Are Río Negro (allies of the ruling party, but differentiated in this issue of which they were protagonists and promoters).
The two liberals of José Luis Espert -he signed the session request- and another two of Javier Milei are also counted; Rolando Figueroa (of the MPN) and the Peronist Riojan ally of JxC, Felipe Alvarez. Romina del Plá of the Partido Obrero was in favor on May 5, although the 3 deputies of the other leftist force (the PTS) abstained.
To ensure the number, deputies Margarita Stolbizer and Dolores Martínez they had to get off a trip to an activity of parliamentarians abroad. Because it is an electoral reform, it needs absolute majority in both Houses (129 in Deputies, 37 in Senate).
If the procedure seems smoothed out in the Deputies, the approval is much more complicated in the Senate, where the Front of All with allies achieves a majority. And Cristina vetoed this reform. There are at least three Peronist senators who are with the Single Ballot - they even had their own initiatives or demonstrations in this regard - but it remains to be seen if they dare to take their feet off the plate, or close ranks with their block.
The move by the BUP appeared surprisingly a month ago, as a project capable of achieving consensus to launch a Chamber paralyzed by the virtual tie between the two great coalitions, and the crack.
A key articulator was the former head of the Chamber, deputy Emilio Monzó. The thing gained momentum in an “anti-crack” barbecue at the house of former Salta governor Juan Manuel Urtubey where, among others, Monzó, governors Gerardo Morales and Juan Schiaretti, deputies Florencio Randazzo, Graciela Camaño, Rogelio Frigerio and Rosario mayor Pablo Javkin went. .
In the text of the BUP project that adopts the “Cordovan model” (a single ballot for all positions) former UCR deputy Gustavo Menna worked -who headed the consensus project with the RAP foundation in 2021-, but deputies such as Camaño, Silvia Lospennato, Alejandro Cacace and Carla were involved in the final drafting. Carrizo, among others. In six days, it will arrive at the venue.
