P oblems o Democ acy in A gen ina: Al onsín, C isis and
Elec ions
Manuel ALCÁNTARA
Wo king Pape n.21
Ba celona 1990
I. BACKGROUND
One o he mos signi ican cha ac e is ics o he A gen inian poli ical
sys em o he pas yea s has been he weak ole played by he poli ical pa ies. This
has come in he ace o o he s ong poli ical ac o s o a co po a e na u e, such as
he unions and businesses,. used o ac ing in he poli ical sys em. This s ange
phenomenon could be undamen al in explaining he s uggle ha has been aking
place in he A gen inian poli ical a ena pos 1983. I could explain he ailu e o
comple e join s a egies, and could e en be he eason behind he blocking o
a ious ini ia i es o mode nize pu ely ins umen al aspec s o he poli ical sys em
wi hin i s exis ing s uc u e. The weakness o he poli ical pa ies hemsel es,
oge he wi h an unusual poli ical cul u e, mo ed hese pa ies u he away om he
cen e o he poli ical sys em and in oduced he mo emen is logic in o he pic u e.
A Pe onism's sel -p oclama ion as he mo emen capable o uni ing he popula
iden i ies en masse, he e ollowed a sense o adicalism simila o ha which
a ound 1985 li up he idea o he " hi d his o ical mo emen ", able o. gua an ee a
adical go e nmen h ough o he end o he cen u y.
1. Cha ac e is ics o he Al onsín go e nmen .
When Raul Al onsín ascended o he p esidency in Decembe 1983, he
pas hal cen u y o A gen inian poli ical his o y p esen ed i sel as an obs acle o be
bu ied once and o all. The elimina ion o au ho i a ianism and he p osc ip ion o
pa ies, he es ablishmen o an unimposed and g ea ly changed poli ical 6gime,
he espec o human igh s, and he mode nisa ion o poli ical socie y all o med
he pla o m on which he new poli ics would be buil .
P esiden Al onsín's obsession coincided pe ec ly wi h he old adical
adi ion o espec o he cons i u ion and o indi idual igh s. The sc upulousness
wi h which he obse ed he ules o he game made him he i s A gen inian
P esiden o se e his e m in o ice, espec ing he au onomy o he p o inces ha
lay wi hin he bounda ies o he ede al go e nmen 's ju isdic ion wi hou using
A icle Six o he Cons i u ion, so o en employed by his p edecesso s o allow ' he
Fede al go e nmen o in e ene in he p o inces. In a simila ein, in 1987 he
enewed he pos s o p o incial go e no by democ a ic elec ion, o he i s ime
since 1962. The ou elec ions, held biannually beginning in 1983, we e o an
o de ed, egula i y ha had been nonexis en since ha unusual i s pe iod o
Pa onism (19461955). Finally, he e mina ion o his six yea old p esiden ial e m,
and his subs i u ion by ano he , democ a ically elec ed, p esiden , was some hing
ha had no occu ed since 1928. I could e en be said ha his was hi he o
unhea d o in A gen ina unde he law o uni e sal su age, i we ake in o accoun
he ac ha he p esiden ial eplacemen was selec ed om among candida es o
decidedly, di e en poli ical a ilia ions.
In he. ace o hese undeniable and well de ined successes, he Raul
Al onsín go e nmen appea s ske chy wi h ega ds o se ing in mo ion policies o
comba he p oblem de i ed om he abo e cha ac e o he A gen inian poli ical
sys em. Ch onologically he e a e ou clea ly de ined pe iods in he Al onsín
go e nmen , each o hese essen ially de ined by he elec o al pe iods: 1983-85,
1985-87, 1987-89, and he las , o " ansi o y" pe iod om May o July 1989. One
can also dis inguish a leas ou gene al hema ic blocks.
The i s o hese is he mili a y issue, closely linked wi h ha o human
igh s. Immedia ely a e ascending o he p esidency, Raul Al onsín, by way o he
a o ney gene al, p osecu ed he membe s o he h ee mili a y jun as o he
"P oceso", (1976-1983) led espec i ely by Gene als Videla, Viola and Gal ie i.
They we e cha ged wi h ha ing iola ed human igh s and hei esponsibili ies in
he Falkland/Mal inas Islands a ai . The con ic ion o he membe s o hese h ee
mili a y jun as, who ecei ed a ying p ison sen ences, was seen as a miles one in
ci il-mili a y ela ions in La in Ame ica. None heless, his sen encing did no mean
ha he mili a y was o be con olled om hen on by he go e nmen . Co po a e
p essu e I came om he a ious b anches o he A med Fo ces, and om se e al
ins i u ions in he public sec o ,. embodied by he human igh s o ganisa ions, which
we e pa icula ly ac i e in 1982-83 and which desi ed conside able ex ension o he
mili a y's esponsibili ies o he p o ec ion o human igh s, and om igh wing
g oups. All o he abo e, combined wi h an ex emely ac i e public opinion and a
lack o decisi eness on he pa o he go e nmen , led o a s a e o ambigui y and
o almos pe manen ques ioning o he A med Fo ces. The laws o "pun o inal" and
"obediencia debida",. oge he wi h he e en s o he Eas e Week o 1987, o he
Mon e Case os episode and, inally, o Villa Ma elli, appea ed as unconnec ed
ju idical and poli ical ma e s ha se ed only o emphasise he gene al
incompe ence o he Execu i e b anch. This incompe ence seemed o be spilling
o e , and appea ed unable o deal wi h c isis o o e ake he ini ia i e o he i s
momen s o he p esiden ial e m.
Union ela ions we e de ined by he a emp s o he Unión Cí ica Radical
(UCR) o emodel, h ough he Con ede ación Gene al de T abajado es (CGT), he
ole ha he unions had been playing in A gen ina since 1955 (1). In a sense, he
ques ion was one o eloca ing he unions wi hin he A gen inian poli ical sys em
and es ablishing mo e mode n guidelines. The p oposed law conce ning he
es uc u ing o he unions, sen o Cong ess by he Execu i e b anch, was ejec ed
by he o me , owing o he in luence o he p o inces (go e ned mainly by
Pe onis s) wi hin he Sena e. Dissen ion wi hin he Pe onis camp, emphasised by
he 1985 legisla i e elec ions, in which he Pe onis amily showed i sel o be
di ided be ween he Pa ido Jus icialis a and he F ejuli (Mo emen o Oc obe
17 h), sugges ed in he adical headqua e s he idea o ,. p o oking disco d among
he Jus icialis s wi h he aim o accele a ing he p ocess o disin eg a ion, and hus
achie ing he desi ed e ec wi h ega ds he a o emen ioned legisla i e-" ini ia i e.
In his sense, he appoin men o he union-leade Alde e e was, o he Minis e io
de T abajo, an ope a ion des ined o des abilize union powe .
1987 ound Jus icialism comple ely eo ganised; he CGT con inued o
submi he UCR go e nmen o elen less union p essu e, decla ing hi een gene al
s ikes in six yea s, and Alde e e con inued o be a oken igu e. All o he Radicals'
hopes o he con a y could do . no hing o hinde he eno a ion o he Jus icialis
Pa y, he eno a ion being led by An onio Ca ie o, elec ed go e ne o he p o ince
o Buenos Ai es in 1987. The s udy ca ied ou by he UCR concluded ha
Pe onism would "commi poli ical suicide" once hei supposedly less accep able
igu es ose o p ominence. This s a egy ailed when Ca ie o los he nomina ion o
he Pe onis candida e o he p esidency, which wen ins ead o Ca los Menem,
go e no o La Rioja, and someone who could coun on he suppo o he mo e
es ablished sec o s o Jus icialism, such as he mo e adi ionally unionis a eas.
The handling o he economic ques ion a ose as one o he key issues o
he Al onsín go e nmen . The si ua ion was one o a p oduc i e capabili y se iously
damaged by he neolibe al economic policies ca ied ou unde he "P oceso". The
coun y ound i sel wi h a na ional deb so la ge ha i inhibi ed u he in es men in
A gen ina and d ama ically limi ed he expo unds a ailable o he paying o o
his deb , and wi h in la iona y endencies ha we e a p e iew o he all o he
sys em in o he spi al o hype in la ion. The s a e was in a posi ion o c isis, and
i ual bank up cy. The o mula used o ca y ou he economic policy was based
pa ly on shock ac ics and pa ly on a no able lack o bo h poli ical (wi hin
Cong ess) and economical (among he unions and businessmen) ins umen s o
eaching consensus. The ou s anding ins umen o economic policy was he Aus al
Plan (June 1985). The ailu e o his plan was la gely caused by he impossibili y o
ca ying ou any eal s uc u al e o ms, and by he inconsis ency o he go e nmen
in ollowing i s cou se o ac ion wi h ega ds he a ious p essu es upon i . This was
agg a a ed by he ac ha his was no he momen o ca y ou hei chosen
op ion, e en i i had been blindly accep ed by he Execu i e b anch. I s me hod
consis ed once again, wi h ew excep ions, o pu ing in o ac ion, h ee yea s la e ,
ano he Sp ing Plan, which ailed his ime due o he same lack o con ic ion on he
pa o i s c ea o s. The poo s a e o he economy exploded d ama ically in he i s
mon hs o 1989, conside ably a ec ing he ou come o he p esiden ial elec ions. In
ba ely h ee mon hs, he numbe o aus als in he dolla had inc eased i e old,
and acco ding o o icial igu es, in la ion ose o 33.4% o he mon h o Ap il. This
was he highes i had been since Ma ch o 1976, he mon h in which a mili a y coup
was ca ied ou agains he go e nmen o "Isabeli a",Pe 6n.
Poli ical e o m became an obsession wi h P esiden Al onsín as a way o
mode nize a egime ha had changed li le om i s 1853 cons i u ional de ini ion. I
was ob ious ha he old cons i u ion was, in mo e ways han one, no longe
adequa e: om he e y language in which i was w i en; o i s es ic ion o he
numbe o minis e s o eigh ; om i s indi ec o m o p esiden ial elec ion; o (as we
shall see la e ) he equi ed Roman-Ca holic a ilia ion o he P esiden and
Vice-P esiden , among o he s. I was equally inadequa e in mo e s ic ly poli ical
e ms: in he du a ion o he p esiden ial e m; in he biannual enewal by hal es o
he House o Depu ies and he iannual enewal o he hi d pa o he Sena e; in
he mo e con o e sial inexis ence o he igu e o P ime Minis e , whose main ole
would be as chie o public adminis a ion; and inally, in he c ea ion o a Social
Economic Council (3). This and he clea di e ence be ween he e o mis doc ine
o P esiden Al onsín and he eali y o he poli ical egime, b ough abou he
necessi y o a cons i u ional e o m. The e we e wo main ideas upon which his
eali y es ed: he ine i able ca ying ou o an ag eed upon cons i u ional e o m,
and he necessi y o he c ea ion o a Council o he Consolida ion o Democ acy, in
cha ge o de eloping heo e ical elemen s o he poli ical deba e. The Radical
elec o al upse o 1987, and he a o men ioned eplacemen by Ca los Menem o
An onio Ca ie o as leade o he Jus icialis Pa y, pu an end o hopes o
econcilia ion, especially now ha impo an Pe onis sec o s saw he cons i u ional
e o m as one mo e pawn in he hegemonic s a egy o Al onsinism, and we e
con inced ha i was being used o hide he eal mo i es o he adical leade ,
which e ol ed a ound he possibili y o his eelec ion.
2. The Issue o he Consolida ion g Democ acy
The go e nmen ha eme ged a e he eco e y o democ a ic libe ies in
he 1983 elec ions saw i s ole de ined by a cons an ension ha appea ed when
he demand o ins an ac ion, b ough abou by he se ious economic and
poli ical-mili a y c isis, added i sel o he necessi y o ins alling a new poli ical
sys em. This became e en mo e complica ed when i was Al onsín himsel ,
su ounded by he cha isma ic na u e o his leade ship, who ac ed no only o
legi imise he poli ical issues bu also o o e come con lic s. The adminis a ion o
he con inual c isis, wi hin, highly pe sonal and sca cely ag eed limi s, made di icul

he c ea ion o an "ins i u ional sys em capable o being changed in o a p i ileged
a ea o exchanges among poli ical ac o s" and, as such, g ea ly complica ed he
possibili y o comple e consolida ion (4).
Ano he cen al ques ion acing democ a ic egimes, and one upon which
hei e y su i al depends, is he abili y ha hei ins i u ions should ha e o
espond o social demands. This is one o he de ini i e di e ences be ween
democ acies and au ho i oc acies, he objec i e o he la e being no o espond o
demands, bu o ep ess hem. None heless, he A gen inian socie y is one
imp egna ed by a co po a i ism in which he poli ical pa ies a e no he only ocus
o he poli ical s uc u e o he social ins i u ions (5). As such, he poli ical pa ies do
no ac e icien ly as in e media ies. Social demands a e only deal wi h quickly in
momen s o g a e c isis, o a imes when he co po a ions eel ha he e may be
some hing o be gained by swi ac ion. In sho , he social disloca ion and he
esul ing weigh o he co po a e powe s a e linked o he way in which poli ics a e
un in A gen ina, and which e en oday a ec bo h majo i y and mino i y poli ics.
Raul Al onsín's insis ence on he ca ying ou o he s ipula ed pe iodical
elec ions du ing his e m, his being some hing equen ly iola ed in p e ious imes,
would he e o e seem somewha inadequa e. I could e en, a he sligh es
p esiden ial al e a ion in he elec ions, es ic he success o he A gen inian
poli ical ansi ion (6). Al hough p esiden ial change is o Vi al impo ance in
assu ing he egula ed de elopmen o he poli ical egime, i does no in i sel
gua an ee ei he he sa e y o he egula unc ioning o he sys em. In a way, he
cyclical pa e n ul ills, as a as go e nmen al change is conce ned, an essen ial
unc ion in he selec ion o poli ical eli es. None heless, his model, ou lined by
se e al poli ical scien is s o he s udy o s able democ acies in La in Ame ica, and
one ha implies bo h social change and economic and social decen aliza ion, could
p o e o be use ul (7).
On ano he le el, he analysis o poli ical ins i u ions and sociocul u al and
socioeconomic a iables, p esen s i sel as a way o in es iga ing he p oblem o
consolida ion (8): he pe sis ence o a s ongly au ho i a ian poli ical cul u e; he
p esence o an in ense socioeconomic c isis, p o oked equally by in e nal and
ex e nal ac o s; and he ques ioning o he e icacy o he poli ical ins i u ions in
A gen ina, aise doub s abou he consolida ion o he democ a ic sys em, inspi e o
he compa a i e successes.
Howe e , ano he e y di e en ques ion is ha o he decomposi ion o
A gen inian democ acy. The elemen s ha appea in he classic li e a u e on he
p ocesses o he b eakdown o democ acies (9), a e p esen in A gen ina oday only
wi h ega ds he e ec i eness and e iciency o he sys em. F om an obse a ion o
he emaining elemen s i could be in e ed ha he sys em is no , o he momen ,
h ea ened by ac u e o eg essions: he legi imacy o he egime is ein o ced
pe iodically a he ballo box and by placing he powe o decision wi hin he legal
amewo k; he impe ec wo pa y sys em ensu es he go e nabili y o he houses,
in which he Pe onis pa y had he absolu e majo i y a e he legisla i e elec ions o
May 1989, including wi hin in he massi e opposi ion ha aligned i sel in wha is
conside ed he "legal opposi ion" and which ejec s he adi ional sea ch o mili a y
suppo ; he s abili y o he go e no s unde Raul Al onsín has insu ed agains
poli ical c isis and loss o powe , as was shown a e he elec o al o e u ning o his
pa y; inally, iolence, he cause o he p e ious s ages o de e io a ion, does no
appea o be p esen in an o ganised o m, ei he agains he s a e, o as
"legi ima e" iolence agains he enemies o he s a e.
3. Is Democ acy Simply Elec ions?
The in luence o Robe Dahl (10) on many o he s udies o he p ocesses
o democ a iza ion in La in Ame ica in he eigh ies, has implied ha in he majo i y
o cases, and ollowing he adi ional p ocess o he o ma ion o libe al
democ acies (polia chies), he new democ acies should also ha e o pass h ough
wo lines o de elopmen : plu alis compe ence and poli ical pa icipa ion. This se
he end o he deba e on he heo y o democ acy, which di ided hose who we e
in a ou o democ acy wi hou adjec i es om hose who a ou ed a social and
economic democ acy (11). Du ing he almos six yea s o he Al onsín e m, he
elec o al a iable occupied an unques ionable posi ion in he A gen inian poli ical
spec um, achie ing almos unpa alleled successes, as was indica ed in he i s
poin o his in oduc ion. The high a e o o e pa icipa ion, he egula epe i ion o
he elec o al da e, in keeping wi h he cons i u ion, he absence o oul play, and he
ecogni ion and accep ance o he inal esul s by all in ol ed, gua an eed he
impac o he elec o al p ocess on he A gen inian poli ical sys em.
The 1983 elec ions would seem o ha e signaled he es o a ion o
democ a ic libe y and he eco e y o ully open poli ical compe i ion, as had
happened en yea s ea lie . Bu i was in ha e y decade ha he e was o a ise
massi e elec o al suppo o Raul Al onsín, he p esiden ial candida e o he UCR,
who was o lead en e hical opposi ion agains he p oposed "union-mili a y" pac ,
and who would also embody he old adical spi i o democ a ic eco e y. The
puni i e o e in lic ed on he Pe onis opposi ion, ha all bui wiped ou he
eno mous elec o al pa icipa ion o he wo 1973 elec ions, was swamped benea h a
comple ely unsa is ac o y managemen o he economic c isis, sub e si e s uggles,
coun e sub e si e s uggles o any poli ical pe suasion, and he inexis ence o an
e en minimally unc ional s a e. The Radical iumph was consolida ed by ob aining
an absolu e majo i y in he House o Depu ies. Fo i s pa , he Jus icialis pa y,
while s ill s ong in he in e io p o inces, became he majo i y pa y in he Sena e.
The 1985 elec ions o he enewal o hal o he House o Depu ies, saw
an inc ease in he pe cen age o e in a ou o he UCR, and a, conside able
dec ease in he o e o he Jus icialis pa y (12), which ound i sel in comple e
c isis and on he e ge o disin eg a ion.
In 1987, elec ions we e held once mo e o enew he House o Depu ies,
and o decide on he pos s o P o incial Go e no , whose e m is o ou yea s'
du a ion. The s eng h o he Pe onis Reno ado nominee was he mos signi ican
e en o he elec ions. The eco e y o he Jus icialis Pa y was e idenced
essen ially by wo e en s: he eco e y o i s adi ional posi ion as majo i y pa y (a
posi ion occupied since 1946), which made he UCR lose i s absolu e majo i y in he
House o Depu ies, and he upse o he hei o Al onsínism, Juan Manuel Casella
by i s candida e o go e no o he p o ince o Buenos Ai es, An onio Ca ie o. The
o me was supposed o ha e had an obs acle ee pa h o he Casa Rosada. All
hese ook on an inno a o y aspec , bea ing in mind he cha ac e o he puni i e
o e wo yea s la e agains he unsuccess ul Radical go e nmen , and he swing o
pa o he igh Radical o e in a ou o he Unión de Cen o Democ á ico.
The 1989 elec ion, b ough o wa d o elec o alis easons o May when i
could equally well ha e been se back o July (13), we e o he pa ial enewal o
he p o incial legisla i e houses, he enewal o hal o he House o Depu ies, and
o he elec ion, in acco dance wi h he indi ec o ing sys em o hose.
II. THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
1. Some Specula ions
The A gen inian cons i u ion o 1853, s ill in ac , is hea ily in luenced by
he Cons i u ion o he Uni ed S a es; his in luence is no iceable mos in he
adop ion o he p esiden ial s yle o go e nmen and in he indi ec elec ion o he
P esiden (14). The Cons i u ion egula es his elec ion down o he las de ail, and
i s lack o e ision has main ained his sys em in ac h oughou A gen inian poli ical
his o y. The manne o he elec ion o a P esiden is deal wi h in a icles 81 and 85
o he Cons i u ion. In hese i is s a ed ha "The capi al and each o he p o inces
will nomina e by di ec o e an assembly o ep esen a i es, equal in numbe o he
o al o depu ies and sena o s ha ep esen hem in Cong ess ... and who, once
ga he ed in hei espec i e capi als, ou mon hs be o e he end o he p esiden ial
e m, will p oceed o elec he P esiden and Vice-P esiden o he na ion..."
The e ha e been wen y one indi ec elec ions in A gen ina be ween 1854
and 1989 (As well as h ee p esiden ial elec ions, in 1951 and wice in 1973, and
one ice-p esiden ial elec ion, ha we e decided by di ec o e). Fo all apa om
hese excep ions (and apa om he 1949 elec ion unde he Pe onis cons i u ion)
he same cons i u ional ex has p e ailed, bu he elec o al laws ha e changed
p o oundly, dis o ing he o iginal ex . Ini ially i was designed in acco dance wi h
he hinking o Alexande Hamil on, as a me hod "capable o a oiding he diso de
and umul ha a di ec p esiden ial elec ion would p o oke in a epublic". I s
compose s belie ed ha a "p uden dispe sion o he o e s", ga he ed in small
g oups, "would inspi e in hem a easoned judgemen o nomina ing wi h comple e
au onomy he Fi s Magis a e". La e , he de elopmen o he poli ical pa ies
obliged all who would be P esiden o se e some ime i s in poli ical socie y be o e
a emp ing o en e he closely gua ded inne p ecinc . The assemblies we e, as a
consequence, a e lec ion o he di e se mo emen s o opinion which, hanks o he
e olu ion owa ds uni e sal su age, we e u ning he membe s o which hey we e
comp ised in o obliga o y agen s o any candida e; he sys em was wo king in such
a way ha poli ical socie y was a icula ed in wo main op ions.
Finally, he linking o he elec ed posi ions o he di e en elec o al laws
ha we e being in oduced, p oduced, g ea inequali y in he ep esen a ion o he
elec o al dis ic s. The adop ion o a p opo ional c i e ion in he elec o al legisla ion
unde mined he wo pa y sys em, while he dis o ion o he numbe o
ep esen a i es co esponding o each dis ic , assigning a minimum o ou een,
doubled he o iginally s ipula ed igu e in small p o inces such as La Rioja, Chubu
and San a Fe (15).
The p eelec ion polls o he 1989 elec ions, oge he wi h o he s udies
(16), specula ed on he possibili y o none o he candida es achie ing an absolu e
majo i y in he elec o al college, o , mo e p ecisely, ha no candida e would achie e
"his own elec o al college". By his, one is eminded ha in he elec ions o 1868,
1916 and 1963, in which we e elec ed P esiden s Sa mien o, Y igoyem and Illía,
he e was no absolu e majo i y in he assembly o o e s, bu ha he emaining
se en een elec ions decided by indi ec o e had candida es wi h la ge majo i ies.
The inspec ion o he o ing lis s submi ed by he assemblies o o e s is
ca ied ou by he Legisla i e Assembly, which is he combina ion o he House o
Depu ies and he Sena e. I no candida e ecei es an absolu e majo i y, hen
Wi h 37% o he o e, he Radical candida e ecei ed almos he same
pe cen age o he o e as he UCR in he 1987 legisla i e elec ions. Al hough i is
ob ious ha his pe cen age o he o e was no su icien o him o be elec ed
P esiden unde a majo i y sys em, i was no less ob ious ha he go e ning pa y's
candida e did no p o oke a dec ease in his pa y's o e, al hough i was clea ha
he was no going o inc ease i ei he , gi en he mani es ly ad e se poli ical
si ua ion, cha ac e ised by conside able a i ion o suppo o he go e nmen .
The e was a simila occu ence wi h he UCeDé candida e, whose igu e
o 6%, despi e op imis ic p edic ions, imp o ed only e y sligh ly on he esul s o
1987. The A gen inian igh ba ely g ew in he ede al capi al, and only made eal
headway in Buenos Ai es and Mendoza, a he hands o he Democ a ic Pa y.
III. THE ELEC ION OF NATIONAL DEPUTIES
1. Dispa i ies wi h espec o he p esiden ial, elec ion
A icle 42 o he Cons i u ion o he A gen ine Na ion es ablishes he
enewal o he House o Depu ies "by hal es e e y wo yea s". A e he democ a ic
ansi ion o 1983, na ional legisla i e elec ions ha e been held in 1983, 1985 land
1987. Legisla i e elec ions we e o ha e been held in 1989.
Fo hese elec ions, A gen ina is di ided in o 24 elec o al dis ic s, made
up o he wen y wo p o inces, he ede al capi al, and he e i o y o Tie a del
Fuego. The elec o al law es ablishes he o m o p opo ional ep esen a ion o all
he dis ic s, he sys em o closed and blocked lis s, he di ision o he emainde by
he D'Hond sys em, and a 3% h eshold ha all mus pass o quali y o a sha e o
he sea s.
Ha ing elec ions ha enew only hal o one house p oduces a
"g adualism" e ec in he poli ical sys em, as i is ee om he swi oscilla ions ha
occu wi h some equency in uns able poli ical en i onmen s, and ha can lead o a
comple e eplacemen o he pa liamen a y eli es.
In a poli ical sys em as i mly p esiden ial as he A gen inian one, when he
legisla i e and p esiden ial elec ions coincide, he o me ake a back sea o he
la e . None heless, he o e clea ly unde s ance he signi icance o bo h elec ions,
leading o a sligh di ision in he o ing, and p oducing ce ain peculia e ec s on
he pa y sys em ha we will examine la e on. The di e en con igu a ion o bo h
elec ions is emphasised by he ac ha alliances o ged in he p esiden ial i e a e

no main ained a a legisla i e le el.
2. Candida es and esul s
Al hough he Jus icialis success in he legisla i e elec ions o 1987 was
no able, i only ansla ed in o a loss o he adicals o he absolu e majo i y in he
House o Depu ies. O e all, he adicals con inued o be he majo i y pa y. When
he elec o al polls p edic ed ic o y o Menem, he s a egy o he h ee majo
pa ies cen e ed on he acquisi ion o con ol o he majo i y in he House o
Depu ies (27). Fo he Jus icialis pa y, he ques ion was one o sho ing up hei
p esumed iumph in he p esiden ial elec ion wi h he con ol o he Legisla i e
Powe . This would gua an ee a pe iod o a leas wo yea s du ing which hey could
ca y ou hei poli ical designs ee om any ins i u ional block. The Radicals, on
he o he hand, we e igh ing o p e en hei loss om u ning in o an up oo , and o
p e en he pe onis s om gaining hei hoped o absolu e con ol. Simila ly, he
"cen is igh " o he UCeDé hoped o see i sel in a pi o al posi ion, so ha no pa y
could gain a pa liamen a y majo i y wi hou i s suppo ; in his sense we mus see
he a acks by his pa y on he adicals as being much mo e i ulen han hose on
he Pe onis s.
As migh ha e been expec ed, he pull exe cised by he candida e
ep esen ing he opposi ion was he undoing o he Pe onis s in he House o
Depu ies, as was Al onsín's alliance in a ou o he Radicals in he Oc obe
elec ions o 1983. The Pe onis s had six y six sea s, when he e we e only i y h ee
depu ies up o enewal ( o y eigh bona ide Pe onis s and i e o he In ansigen
Pa y); he adicals los wen y ou sea s; and he cen is s gained ou sea s. The
absolu e majo i y o he House, as i had in 1983 and 1985, passed in o h6 hands
o a single pa y, al hough in his ins ance he pa y in ques ion ( he Pe onis s)
gained con ol o bo h he Execu i e powe and he Legisla i e powe .
The UCR, o he i s ime, ceased o be he majo i y pa y in he ede al
capi al, a posi ion ha was aken o e by he FREJUPO. The Cen is Alliance, on
he o he hand, despi e no eaching hei hoped o pe cen age, gained he la ges
numbe o o es in hei his o y, wi h 22%. A he head o hei os e was Adelina de
Viola, who in he e en los his pe sonal ba le wi h Dan e Capu o, numbe one on
he lis o he UCR (28.4%). Bo h we e su passed by he FREJUPO os e , which,
wi h Miguel Angel Toma a i s head, ecei ed 31.5% o he o e. Despi e his loss in
he legisla i e ba le o he capi al, Adelina de Viola achie ed one o he mos
no able esul s o he elec ions: he be e ed by mo e han en poin s he pe cen age
ecei ed by Al a o Alsoga ay, he pa y's adi ional leade and p esiden ial
candida e.
In he p o ince o Buenos Ai es he composi ion o pa ies wi h
pa liamen a y ep esen a ion di e ed in as much as i was in his dis ic whe e was
he g ea es ins ance o he in eg a ion o he In ansigen Pa y in o he FREJUPO.
This had he e ec o inc easing he numbe Jus icialis o es, and could lead in he
u u e o he disappea ance o Osca Alende's pa y, which was elec ed unde he
appings o Pe onism. The cen is alliance imp o ed hanks o he numbe o
adical o es ansla ing in o ou sea s, hei bes absolu e esul in any elec ion.
The Unión Izquie dis a and he Whi e Pa ido Blanco de Jubilados, his la e o a
poujadis cha ac e close o Pe onism, gained hei only sea s in Buenos Ai es.'
The coinciding o an elec o al dis ic wi h a p o ince, excep in he
a o emen ioned cases o he capi al and Tie a del Fuego, makes possible he
adi ional appa i ion o p o incial pa ies ha can con end wi h he na ionals o
sea s in he go e nmen . In he p esiden ial elec ions hese pa ies gene ally ei he
decide no o p esen hei own candida e, o he bene i o la ge pa ies, o hey
ally hemsel es p e iously wi h one o he majo i y pa ies.
In he May 1989 elec ions o he House o Depu ies, he p o incial pa ies
in Co ien es, Neuquén, San Juan and San iago del Es e o, each ob ained one
sea , while Tucumán ob ained wo (see able IV). These p o inces hen aligned
hemsel es wi h hose o Jujuy, Mendoza, Rio Neg o and Sal a, which al eady had
achie ed na ional ep esen a ion. E en wi h all ha , he in luence o he hese
p o incial ep esen a i es in he House o Depu ies is minimal. To coun e he e ec
o hei nume ical weakness, he p o incial pa ies align hemsel es wi h one o he
majo i y pa ies, ei he by simple in eg a ion ( o example wi h he Co ien e
Reno ado a pa y o San iago del Es e o, in eg a ed in o he Jus icialis g oup) o by
pa liamen a y coope a ion ( o example he coo dina ion o he Pac o Au onomis a
Libe al de Co ien es wi h he UCeDé).
3. The Spli o he Vo e
One o he mos complica ed in e p e a ional p oblems ha a ises when
wo di e en elec ions a e ca ied ou simul aneously is ha o iden i ying he
beha iou o he o e s in each, in o he wo ds how he o es a e spli be ween he
wo. This equen phenomenon, in which he o e iden i ies wi h widely di e en
in e es s depending on he elec ions, aces ce ain di icul ies in A gen ina. In e ec ,
he exis ence o only one ballo box, which includes he di e en candida es in he
same o ma , obliges he o e o execu e a labo ious se ies o cu s i he o she
wishes o o e di e en ly in each elec ion (28).
In he May 1989 elec ions, i was shown ha he spli o he o e, wi h i s
mani es echnical di icul y, was g ea e in hose dis ic s wi h a highe deg ee o
u banisa ion, whe e he e is supposedly a highe deg ee o poli ical democ a ic
cul u e ( able VII).
A compa a i e analysis o he elec o al low in he p esiden ial and
legisla i e elec ions shows ha he wo majo i y pa ies end o ecei e mo e o es
in he o me han in he la e . This accen ua es he concen a ion o he o e, and
hence he bipola isa ion, o bo h elec ions.
The legisla i e elec ions, on he o he hand, a e almos genuinely
mul i-pa y, wi h he majo i y pa ies losing o es ela i e o hei pe cen ages in he
p esiden ial elec ion. In his ins ance, he UCR los wice as many o es as he
Pe onis s, in he capi al, Buenos Ai es and Có doba. F om his i could be in e ed,
wi h mo e p ecise analysis o he elec o al ables, ha Pe onism gains o es om
he le in he pola ised p esiden ial elec ion, only o gi e hem back in he legisla i e
ones. The e is a simila ela ion be ween he UCR and he igh . Taking only he
cases o he Capi al and Buenos Ai es, ( able VI) we see ha in he o me he
Pe onis s and allied pa ies lose 5.1 pe cen age poin s in he p esiden ial elec ion
ela i e o he legisla i e elec ion, while he le gains 4.8%. Simila ly, he adical
coali ion loses 9.6 poin s, while he igh gains 9.7. 'n Buenos Ai es he si ua ion is
simila , hough less ma ked: he Pe onis s lose 1.8 poin s and he le gains 2.6; he
Radicals lose 3.7 poin s and he igh gains 3.1.
One o he unknown cons an s in A gen inian poli ics is he di icul y o
labeling he pos 1946 pa ies as ei he "le " o " igh ". I could be main ained,
howe e , ha apa om he ola ile, o " u ncoa " elec o a e, and as long as he
sea ch is one o a use ul o e wi h immedia e esul s in he elec ion, he le in 1989
has been inclined owa ds he Pe onis s, while he igh has ended owa ds he
Radical o e. No wi hs anding his hypo hesis, only an .empi ical s udy o he spli
o he o e can lead us o de ini e conclusions, gi en ha compensa ing o "c oss
cu s" is echnically possible (29).
IV. THE NEW POLITICAL SOLUTION
As opposed o he si ua ion o six yea s ago, he p oblem acing A gen ina
oday is no he des abilisa ion o i s democ a ic egime, bu he s ic ly democ a ic
go e ning o i s socie y. Fo any obse e o he si ua ion i mus appea as onishing
ha a poli ical sys em cha ac e ised by i s weakness should ha e su i ed he
absence o any eal powe o May o July o 1989 wi hou auma, and wi hou
ad e se o ces b inging he sys em o he g ound.
The indispu able igu es o he cu en poli ical si ua ion show us ha , as
in 1983, one pa y has gained con ol o he Execu i e powe and pa o he
Legisla i e powe ( he House o Depu ies) o a pe iod o six and a leas wo yea s,
espec i ely. Howe e , in 1983 i was he UCR, whe eas now i is he Jus icialis
pa y ha is in con ol. Mo eo e , oday he majo i y pa y has comple e con ol o e
he Legisla i e powe owing o i s absolu e majo i y in he Sena e.
Fo he i s ime in A gen inian his o y, he clea majo i y pa y o he las
hal cen u y has eplaced ano he democ a ically elec ed go e nmen , assu ing a
co ec a iance in he poli ical eli e. When Pe onism was o ed in o powe in 1946
and 1973, he si ua ion immedia ely p eceding i was one o ins i u ional b eakdown
and au ho i a ianism ma ked by he p esence o he A med Fo ces. This pa ially
wis ed he beha iou o he Jus icialis s, who came close o a dynamic o messianic
cha ac e is ics, ying o ake up and ep esen all he s ange alues o he
A gen inian socie y o be o e. I s iden i ica ion wi h popula and na ional alues
gene a ed a mo emen comple ely unlike ha o any classical poli ical pa y.
In 1989 he A gen inian poli ical ins i u ions ound hemsel es wo king
again a e six unin e up ed yea s in which he poli ical no m had scaled heigh s
ha would be di icul o :ind in ea lie imes. The cu en analyses o he ac ions o
Raúl Al onsín's go e nmen and o Al onsínism as a heo y and poli ical p axis poin
owa ds a hesis ha migh explain he ailu e o bo h as a ways and means o
decision making. None heless, i seems clea ha one immedia ely posi i e
consequence has been o gi e he opposi ion access o powe ia ee elec ions,
while a nega i e e ec has been o subme ge he coun y in economic chaos
unp eceden ed e en gi en A gen ina's un o una e adi ion in his a ea (30).
Wi h ega ds o he coun y's poli ical di ec ion, Ca los Menem's iumph
would seem o sugges he e u n o a s yle domina ed by cha isma a he han
a ionali y, a swi ch ha had al eady been made in he in e nal Jus icialis elec ions
o 9/7/88 (31). In his sense, Menem's success is qui e unique; i could signal a
go e nmen in which all he union pa aphenalia and he classic Jus icialis
"leade ship" a e g adually subs i u ed by di e en ma e s wi h cha ac e is ics
simila o hose aking place in o he coun ies in La in Ame ica. The newly
ci ilianised igh , sepa a ed om he possibili y o di ec mili a y in e en ion, seems
o ha e access o an e e expanding powe o legi ima e decision making. F om his
posi ion, he p agma is logic shows i sel o be implacable, bo h in economic
ma e s, in which he means o ca ying ou hei policies had a huge social cos ,
and in s ic ly poli ical a ai s, whe e he plans o "na ional econcilia ion" include
e u ning he co up and insubo dina e mili a y iola o s o human igh s o he
ba acks. Poli ical e o m will also be ou lined om his iew o he a ionalisa ion
and mode nisa ion o he poli ical 6gime, possibly sho ening he p esiden ial e m
o ou yea s, bu main aining he sys em's p esiden ialis o ien a ion.
This p agma ism exace ba es he unde lying con adic ion, ha Menem's
elec ion also implies, i he hopes o main ain bo h himsel and he sys em, he
emo al o he mo emen is cha ac e is ics in he poli ical conduc ha we e p esen
in he Pe onism o 1946 and 1973. In his ins ance he well oiled poli ical sys em is
able o mold he cha isma ic leade ship o he new p esiden in such a way as o
a oid he possible, pe nicious excesses o a s ongly hegemonic and pe sonalis
go e nmen .
The pa y sys em, which as he las elec ions show has con inued i s wo
pa y endency, plays a undamen al pa in main aining he de ini i e no malisa ion
o he poli ical sys em. None heless, i will no ul ill i s ole comple ely i a iables
a e no included in u u e poli ical e o ms, ha de e mine e ec i ely a new ask in
he Na ional Cong ess, un il now weak and o li le cen ali y (32). Finally, he UCR
should deal in he sho e m wi h a leas wo p oblems: sel c i icism o he o m o
go e nmen ha landed he coun y in i s p esen si ua ion; and he cla i ica ion o
i s leade ship. E en i Raúl Al onsín does appea o many analys s o be chie ly
esponsible o he cu en s a e o a ai s, i is no less ce ain ha he e is no one
om among he anks o he Radicals who could se iously ques ion his leade ship.
In poli ical e ms, he A gen inian ansi ion inished some ime ago: he
di e en democ a ically app op ia e subs i u ions o he a ious go e nmen al and
pa liamen a y eli es a he na ional and p o incial le el ha e assu ed a co ec
al e na ion o powe , which pe mi s alk o he consolida ion o he sys em (33).
Cu iously, now mo e han be o e he e a e socioeconomic ci cums ances ha jus i y
a p o ound un es in he, popula ion wi hou ac ually upse ing he ela i e s abili y o
he sys em. I would appea as hough he "age o democ acy" ha is sweeping
h ough all La in Ame ica has gene a ed all he luck needed o p ojec he new o m
o go e nmen .

Table1
Table2(I)
Table2(II)
Table3
Demóc a a P og esis a and he Concen ación Demóc a a.
(21) The Alianza Izquie da Unida was o med by: he Pa ido Comunis a and he Mo imien o al
Socialismo. The Alianza Unidad Socialis a was o med by he Pa ido Socialis a Democ á ico and
he Pa ido Socialis a Popula .
(22) P edic ions a he Cen o de Es udios de la Opinión Pública showed ha he di e ence in a ou
o Menem e sus Angeloz a he beginning o janua y 1989 was 6.7% going down o 5 3% a he
end o he ollowing mon h. See Cla ín,.Buenos Ai es 11.5.89.
(23) Ag eeing wi h Bu ke' p edic ion. La Nación. Buenos Ai es 6.5.89.
(24) Ag eeing wi h Mo a y A aújo, Nogue a y Asociados p edic ion. La Nación. Buenos Ai es 7.5.89.
(25) FRAGA, Rosendo: Cla es de la campaña elec o al 1989.Edi o ial Cen o de Es udios Unión pa a
la Nue a Mayo ía. Buenos Ai es 1989, P. 155.
(26) Al hough Menem did no pa icipa e "in li e" p og ams ob iously he did no close his ele ision
campaign weeks be o e. His publici a y messages and he news om his campaign ho ough he
coun y we e co e ed by ele ision un il he e y las momen .
(27) The esul s gi en in he legisla i e p o incial elec ions in 1987 a ec ed he composi ion o he
Sena e, whose hi d should be emo e in 1989 man eining an absolu e pe onis majo i y.
(28) This p ocedu e ins i ued by he majo i y pa ies hoping o bene i om he pull o hei na ional
candida es could be subs i ued by he es ablishmen o a numbe o ballo bobes equal o he
numbe o elec ions being ca ied ou , o by o ing indi idualized o he candida es in each
elec ion.
(29) Fo example, i wo pe cen o he le o ed Angeloz o p esiden (being a aid o Menem) and
ano he wo pe cen o he igh o ed Menem (disappoin ed by Al onsin), his beha iou can no
be meausu ed bu is poli ically meaning ul and e en can lead o u he alliances.
(30) C i e io, Magazine, Buenos Ai es, nº 2026, 27.4.89, published "An es de o a ", e e eed o he
success ul pe o mance in he ield o poli ics o Al onsín Go e nmen due o a p ope ac ion a a
cons i u ional Ie el; howe e , i did no succeed in economics. I ein o ced his opinion compa ing
cons i u ion and money ole in bo h aspec s: "The coun y a his momen -does no ha e a cu ency
wo hy o name, and a cu ency is o he economic sys em wha he cons i u ion is o he poli ical
sys em. Wi hou a cu ency he social ac o s deba e in a so o na u al s a e because hey lack he
basic con ac ha would gi e hyme and eason o hei ansac ions. I is known ha in Hobbes's
desc ip ion he essence o a na u al s a e is he s uggle o e e yone agains e e yone because
he e is no a bi a o able o esol e peace ully he con lic s be ween he pa ies. In ou socie y he
s a e no longe ac s as an a bi a o ", p. 147. See also: PORTANTIERO, Juan C.: "Co po aciones y
pa idos poli icos en, la ansición" in El u u o de la democ acia a gen ina. Fundación Ra ael
Campalans. Ba celona 1989. He poin s ou ha " he ansi ion supposes no only he cons uc ion
o a poli ical egime bu also ans o ma ion o an economic o de ", p. 36.
(31) CHUMBITA, Hugo: "El signi icado democ á ico de la e olución del jus icialismo" El u u o de la
democ acia a gen ina op. ci ., p. 50.
(32) DE RIZ, Liliana; MUSTAPIC, Ana M.; GORETTI, Ma eo, and PANOSYAN, Mónica: Pa lamen o
hoy. CEDES. Buenos Ai es 1986.
(33) "Today, A gen ina's poli ical sys em looks mo e amilia o he No h Ame ican and Eu opean
democ acies". WYNIA, Ga y W.: "Campaigning o P esiden in A gen ina". Cu en His o y nº 536.
Ma ch 1989, p. 133.