ARGENTINA

ELECTIONS IN 2005

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary elections results for Argentina <<<

Chamber:

Senado

Dates of election / renewal (from/to):

23 October 2005

Purpose of elections:

Elections were held to renew one-third (24) of the seats in the Senate on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.

Background and outcome of elections:

On 23 October 2005, parliamentary elections were held to renew half of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies and a third of the seats in the Senate (see Note).

Since 1945, the country has been characterized by a loose bipartisan system, represented by the Peronist Justicialist Party (PJ) and by the Radical Civic Union (UCR). In the previous elections held in 2003, the ruling centre-left PJ won 60 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, and nine in the Senate. The main opposition UCR, led by Mr. Ángel Rozas, obtained 22 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and five in the Senate.

Before the 2005 elections, the PJ split into two factions, one led by former President Eduardo Duhalde and the other by incumbent President Néstor Kirchner, who formed the Victory Front (FV). Analysts pointed out that the conflict between the two faction leaders might end bipartisanship in the country.

The 2005 parliamentary elections were largely seen as a test for President Kirchner, who had come to power in May 2003 when the country was still recovering from the 2001-2002 economic crisis, which had triggered a currency devaluation and a record debt. President Kirchner, now halfway into his four-year term, argued in his campaign that his economic policies, based on a weak currency, had led to Argentina's recovery. The country's economy is expected to expand by 7.8 per cent in 2005, the third consecutive year of growth since 2003.

Pre-election polls predicted a comfortable victory for the FV and its allies.

Turnout was 70.94 per cent for the Chamber of Deputies, and 72.26 per cent for the Senate. According to the final results, President Kirchner's FV and its allies won 17 of the 24 seats at stake in the Senate, and 69 in the Chamber of Deputies. Together with the seats that had not been up for re-election, the FV and its allies formed the largest block with 115 of the 257 seats. The PJ faction, led by former President Duhalde, secured 11 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and four in the Senate. The UCR and its allies won 19 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and three in the Senate. Recreate for Growth (RECREAR) won nine seats in the Chamber of Deputies, followed by Alternative for a Republic of Equals (ARI) with eight seats and the Socialist Party (PS) with five seats. In Buenos Aires, President Kirchner's wife, Mrs. Christina Fernández de Kirchner, won a senatorial seat by securing 46 per cent of the votes, largely surpassing Mr. Duhalde's wife, Hilda González de Duhalde, who also won a seat with 19 per cent of the votes.

Members of the Chamber of Deputies were convened on 10 December 2005 and elected Mr. Alberto Edgardo Balestrini as the new speaker.

Note:
A new electoral system was introduced for the Senate in 2001 under which one-third of its members are renewed every two years. After the 2001 elections, the winners drew lots to decide whether they get two-, four- or six-year terms. Those who received a four-year term were renewed in 2005.

STATISTICS


Round no 1 (23 October 2005): Election results
Number of registered electors		12'081'098
Voters		8'730'094 (72.26%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers		803'509
Valid votes		7'926'585



Round no 1: Distribution of votes

Political Group	Candidates	Votes	%
Victory Front (FV) and its allies
Justicialist Party (PJ)
Alliance for Work (UCF)

Round no 1: Distribution of seats

Political Group

Total

Victory Front (FV) and its allies

Justicialist Party (PJ)

Alliance for Work (UCF)

Comments:

Source:
http://www.elecciones2005.gov.ar/

Note on the "Distribution of seats according to sex":
The "Distribution of seats according to sex" below shows the breakdown for the MPs elected in 2005: 10 women of 24 members, or 41.67%.
After the 2005 elections, there were 30 women in all out of 72 members, or 41.67% (Senate, 13.02.2006).

Distribution of seats according to sex:

Men:

Women:

Percent of women:

41.67

Distribution of seats according to age:

Distribution of seats according to profession:

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary elections results for Argentina <<<