Enlarge image
House of Representatives in Buenos Aires: 144 votes to 109 for Milei's reform package
Photo: Juan Mabromata / AFP
Argentina's ultra-liberal President Javier Milei's reform plans for economic deregulation have cleared their first parliamentary hurdle. On Friday, after a marathon debate lasting several days, the House of Representatives in Buenos Aires voted in principle for the comprehensive reform package with a majority of 144 votes to 109. From next week onwards, the MPs will look at the legislative plans and the individual articles in detail - and vote on them separately.
Friday's vote is already a success for Milei, whose La Libertad Avanza party is only the third strongest force in the House of Representatives. However, the president had to make many concessions to the opposition in recent weeks. More than half of the original 664 articles of law have already been deleted.
Lots of controversial topics
Controversial issues include, in particular, the transfer of special powers to the government in the event of an economic emergency, the extent of privatization of state-owned companies and deregulation and austerity measures in areas such as the electoral system, pensions, education, culture, criminal and family law. On the sidelines of the parliamentary debate, there have been protests and clashes between demonstrators and the police in recent days.
The government is putting pressure on parliamentarians to agree to the reforms given the economic situation. Inflation in the South American country was 211 percent in 2023, and more than 40 percent of the population lives in poverty.
The political newcomer and right-wing populist Milei took office in December with the announcement that Argentina would be subjected to "shock therapy." As a result, the government devalued the local currency, the peso, by more than 50 percent and began reducing subsidies in the areas of transport and energy.