Argentine general election, 2007

The presidential and parliamentary elections in Argentina in 2007 were made on 28 October of the year. Here, the president of the country, half of the seats of the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate seats were re-determined.

Cristina Fernández de Kirchner won the presidential election already evident in the first round itself. Also in the general election was her block, the Frente para la Victoria, strengthened and defended the absolute majority of seats.

Prehistory

After the economic crisis between 1998 and 2002 under the government of Néstor Kirchner was a revival succeeded the country. Consequently, these enjoyed despite some scandals a considerable popularity among the population.

In the parliamentary elections in 2005, Kirchner's Frente para la Victoria electoral alliance had been able hervontragen a clear victory and could thus be based on stable majorities in Congress. Already in 2006, public opinion polls have confirmed the trend that Kirchner's re-election was very likely. Also a candidate Cristina Fernández his wife was never excluded, thus came Kirchner's announcement to withdraw his candidacy in their favor, in May 2007, also not surprising.

Presidential candidates

The main candidates were already fixed almost 2006. Was speculated at most by a contribution from the Buenos Aires strong conservative, Republican election blocks Propuesta the entrepreneur Mauricio Macri. Especially because of a scandal around one of its most important ally Jorge Sobisch from the province of Neuquén, he drew back his ambitions, however, and instead successfully ran for mayor of the capital. Another uncertainty was the candidacy of former president Carlos Menem, whose block, however, for the support of other candidates, especially Alberto Rodríguez Saa, decided.

A special feature of the election was that the first time any of the two major parties PJ and UCR lined up its own candidate. Although the greater part of the PJ set behind Fernández de Kirchner, has nevertheless been replaced as the second Peronist Rodriguez Saa. The UCR, however, was divided between several candidates, some of them even supported Fernández de Kirchner.

The following candidates were generally treated as a wealth of opportunities:

• Cristina Fernández de Kirchner ( Frente para la Victoria, Peronist ), Senator and wife of former President Néstor Kirchner. It was touted as the favorite since the announcement of her candidacy.
• Elisa Carrio (ARI, social democratic ), founder of the Social Democratic UCR elimination ARI and former UCR politician. You were given an outside chance, should there be a runoff election, as it enjoys high reputation especially in the urban middle class. It was supported in addition to their own party of parts of the UCR and the Socialists,
• Roberto Lavagna ( Una Nación Avanzada, left liberal ) to thank for the Minister of Economic Affairs under the Kirchner government, laid claim, be it the recovery after the crisis. Due to internal differences with Kirchner he refused Fernández his support and ran as its own candidate, supported by sections of the UCR.
• Alberto Rodríguez Saa ( Frente por la Libertad Justicialista, rechtsperonistisch ), brother of the briefly reached during the crisis, the government Adolfo Rodriguez Saa and governor of San Luis province. He was supported by the parts of the Peronist party, which were directed against Kirchner, Menem and Duhalde particular.
• Ricardo López Murphy ( Recrear para el Crecimiento, economically liberal ), Minister of Economic Affairs under Fernando de la Rúa. Long time it was because of his good performance in the 2003 election, in which he took as a candidate, as a candidate for a possible runoff with Fernández, but internal differences with Mauricio Macri in the co-founders of electoral alliance Propuesta Republicana away from his chances.
• Jorge Sobisch ( Movimiento Provincias Unidas, Unión Popular, Modin, quite conservative ), governor of the rich province of Neuquén, also applied until the beginning of 2007 as a promising candidate of the second row. Because of a scandal in April than in a police action against demonstrators, a teacher was killed, and his chances, however, detracted considerably.

Furthermore, were a series of links candidates to: Néstor Pitrola ( Partido Obrero ), Vilma Ripoli (MST ), José Montes ( MAS / PTS / Izquierda Socialista ), Luis Alberto Ammann (PH / PC), Gustavo Brede Obeid (PPR ) and the Piquetero leader Raúl Castells ( MIJD ), the film director Fernando Solanas ( PSA) and known as' permanent candidate " Juan Ricardo Muzza (CLP).

Presidential election

As usual, the media attention focused on the presidential election. It took place largely without irregularities. Even the election forecasts by 18 clock on election day pointed to a comfortable majority of Cristina Fernández, but it was not clear beyond doubt until the late evening hours if they would take the 40 percent threshold, while Elisa Carrio to less than 30 % of the votes would come. Already the first extrapolations about 21 clock indicated a highly probable victory of Fernández in the first ballot, so that Carrio admitted their defeat in the evening.

The final recount of the votes showed an even higher share of the vote Fernández as the provisional count on election day. Thus, it was necessary for exceeding the 45- percent mark any more runoff.

The results:

Justicialista - De la Victoria - intransigent - Movimiento Libres del Sur - Frente Grande - Conservador Popular - Confederación Frente Civico para la Concertación plural: Demócrata Cristiano - Movimiento Democrático Federal ( San Juan ) - Para la Concertación Ciudadana (Mendoza ) - Unión de Córdoba Vecinal - Frente de Integración Social para un cambio en Libertad (Mendoza ) - Concertación Popular ( Capital Federal ) - Integración y Movilidad Social ( Buenos Aires ) - Cambio 2000 ( Tucumán ) - Movimiento Libertad y Justicia (Santiago del Estero )

Afirmación para una República Igualitaria - Socialista - Movimiento Afirmación Republicana (San Luis ) - Cambio Jujeño ( Jujuy ) - Encuentro Civic Center por la Igualdad y la Justicia ( City of Buenos Aires, Corrientes ) - Movimiento Vecinalista Provincial ( Buenos Aires ) - Coalition Cívica (Mendoza )

Unión Cívica Radical - Movimiento de Integración y Desarrollo - Nacionalista Constitucional UNIR - Ciudadanos Independientes (Tucumán ) - Movimiento de Acción Popular ( Misiones ) - Provincial Rionegrino - Movimiento Popular Bonaerense - Popular Cristiano Bonaerense - Popular Democrático ( Buenos Aires )

Unión de Centro Democrático - Unión y Libertad

Movimiento Al Socialismo - De los Trabajadores Social Followings

Partido Humanista - Partido Comunista

Parliamentary elections

In the concurrent presidential election congressional elections in which the country half the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate is renewed, the Allied with Fernández de Kirchner Frente para la Victoria was able to consolidate its existing majority. It has 128 of 255 seats over a brief absolute majority, numerous members of other parties, however, had also the support of Fernández ' announced, among others, the so-called radicales K who supported them instead of Roberto Lavagna.

Gains were the opposition ARI that report Socialists and some small parties to Kirchner / Fernandez dissident Peronists ( Menemisten, Duhaldisten ), however, suffered drastic losses.

House of Representatives

Results of the election to the House:

Distribution of seats in the House of Representatives after the election:

Senate

Senate elections were held in Buenos Aires (city), Chaco, Entre Ríos, Neuquén, Río Negro, Salta, Santiago del Estero and Tierra del Fuego. When electing Senators gets in all the provinces of the largest party two seats and the second strongest.

The following changes occurred: